The number of foreign managers at TNK-BP, jointly owned by British oil major BP and a handful of Russian oligarchs, has been a focus of an ongoing recent dispute between the shareholders, who also differ on development and management strategy.

Media reports earlier said that the company's foreign managers could be forced to

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leave Russia due to lack of work permits.

Oleg Artamonov, the head of the foreign labor permit department at the Russian Federal Migration Service, told TNK-BP Vice President Clark Cridland: "The Russian work permits of six company managers were set to expire on July 10. To avoid problems, we have decided to grant work permits to these officials, as well as you and company president Robert Dudley."

Artamonov said permits were being prepared for another 41 TNK-BP staffers.

The Migration Service said 71 labor permits were granted to TNK-BP employees on May 14, and that the company had submitted a list of another 49 names on Wednesday.

Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, a key shareholder and board member, proposed on Wednesday that shareholders hold an emergency meeting next Monday to vote on dismissing Dudley to elect a new, independent executive.

The board was elected at an annual shareholders' meeting last Thursday.

The Alfa-Access-Renova (AAR) consortium representing the Russian shareholders have accused Dudley of putting BP's interests ahead of those of TNK-BP and have threatened to sue BP for attempting to seize control of the joint venture.

Set up in 2003, TNK-BP is Russia's third largest producer. It accounts for a quarter of BP's overall output.

MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti)