BlueScope: Position On Rio-BHP JV Unchanged

BlueScope Steel Ltd. (BSP.AU) said Thursday it remains concerned about BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) and Rio Tinto Plc's (RTP) proposed Pilbara iron ore joint venture.

A BlueScope spokesman said reservations about the deal expressed by Chief Executive Paul O'Malley after the company's interim results earlier this year still stood.

The spokesman declined to comment on whether BlueScope had outlined its concerns in a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, saying its dealings with the regulator were confidential.

"Our position hasn't changed since Paul's comments at the half-yearlies, they're still valid and still represent the company's feelings and concerns about the issue," the spokesman said.

At the time, O'Malley said he was concerned about anything that increased, rather than decreased, concentration in the market.

BHP Billiton declined to comment.

-By Neil Sands, Dow Jones Newswires; 61-3-9292-2095; neil.sands@dowjones.com

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