Russian Railways is ready to consider a sale of its 5% interest in Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP), which is Russia's largest commercial seaport, the state-owned railroad monopoly's President Vladimir Yakunin told reporters today. 

"I've always thought that the railroad should have an interest in ports, but as you know, the government did not support me," Yakunin said. 

He was referring to a letter addressed to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and published by business dailies Kommersant and Vedomosti today in which deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin proposes selling the state's 20% interest as well as Russian Railways' interest in NCSP to state-controlled oil major Rosneft.