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By William Launder and Bart Koster
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Germany's Deutsche Bank AG (DB) and the Dutch Finance Ministry on Tuesday said they had signed a preliminary deal for Deutsche Bank to acquire parts of state-owned ABN Amro's commercial banking operations in the Netherlands for an undisclosed price.
A person close to the situation said Deutsche Bank will pay "a little less" than the EUR709 million it agreed in a deal it struck with Fortis Holding last year and which later fell through.
But under the terms of the new agreement, Deutsche Bank may have to shoulder most of the credit portfolio risks for the assets it acquires, the person said.
Under the original deal terms signed last year prior to Fortis selling its stake in ABN Amro to the Dutch government, ABN Amro would provide initial credit-risk coverage for around EUR10 billion in assets in the deal. Deutsche Bank now has a better insight into credit risk ABN Amro's portfolios and is willing to shoulder more of the risks, the person said.
Deutsche Bank, which is Germany's largest bank by market capitalization, said the deal will make it the fourth-largest commercial and investment bank in the Netherlands.
It likewise helps the Dutch government resolve competition concerns raised by the European Commission following its takeover of Fortis Bank NL and ABN Amro last year and its plan to merge their assets. "Now a final settlement on the remedy of the European Commission can be worked out," Finance Minster Wouter Bos said.
The deal must be submitted to the European Commission and the Dutch Parliament for further approval, the Finance Ministry said.
Deutsche Bank said the assets to be acquired are the same as those in a deal between the Dutch government and Deutsche Bank that fell through last year. Another attempt for Deutsche Bank to buy the Dutch bank assets fell through at the beginning of October.
The Commission has repeatedly imposed and extended deadlines for a sale agreement since the talks between Deutsche Bank and the Dutch government started last year.
Deutsche Bank is currently eyeing a series of possible acquisitions, including Luxembourg-based private bank Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie's wealth management business and further stakes in Deutsche Postbank AG (DPB.XE), where it is already a major shareholder.
At 1223 GMT, shares of Deutsche Bank were down EUR0.12, 0.2%, at EUR55.88, while the broader German DAX was up 0.2%.
Company Web site: http://www.db.com
-By William Launder and Bart Koster; Dow Jones Newswires; +49 69 29 725 515; william.launder@dowjones.com