UZBEKISTAN: Coke slapped with US$100m claim - report

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 16 June 2006

Coca-Cola is facing a claim for damages in Uzbekistan, according to press reports.

The Financial Times said earlier this week that the soft drinks company has been hit with an arbitration claim for over US$100m. The claim, issued by Mansur Maqsudi, alleges that Coke conspired with the Uzbeki government against Maqsudi in his position as a joint venture partner.

Maqsudi believes that Coke worked with the government to strip him of his majority stake in Coke's bottling facility in Tashkent after Maqsudi fell out of favour with the country's leader, Islam Karimov.

"This allegation is categorically false," Coke said. "Unequivocally, there was no collaboration, and we are confident this will be upheld in any court or arbitration proceedings."

Maqsudi, an American of Afghan descent, was married to the Karimov's daughter until they separated in 2001.

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