UPDATE: Telefonica Rules Out KPN Buy, Other Major M&As After Vivo

Telefonica SA (TEF) has ruled out buying Dutch rival Royal KPN NV (KPN.AE) or making other major acquisitions, the Spanish telecommunications company's Chairman Cesar Alierta said Thursday.

Alierta made the comments in a meeting with journalists in New York Thursday, a company spokesman said.

Market observers had speculated Telefonica or another rival could buy KPN after it lost out in a recent spectrum auction.

Alierta added Telefonica wouldn't make any further major purchases after its EUR6.5 billion bid for Portugal Telecom SA's (PT) stake in Brazilian mobile company Vivo Participacoes (VIV, VIVO4.BR). Portugal Telecom's shareholders will vote on the offer on June 30.

If Telefonica completes the acquisition, its debt will rise significantly but the deal is necessary for the company to get a bigger hold of the high-growth Brazilian market, analysts say.

-By Jason Sinclair, Dow Jones Newswires, 34 913958127, jason.sinclair@dowjones.com

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