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MOSCOW, July 13 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said on Friday he had discussed a joint venture row between a Canadian firm and Russia's fourth largest oil producer with President Vladimir Putin.
The spat between Canada's Norex Petroleum and Russia's Tyumen Oil Company over a small Siberian oil producer, Yugraneft, has become increasingly acrimonious.
It is one of many disputes to raise concerns about corporate governance in Russia.
Chretien said after talks with Putin that although he had raised the issue, there was little he could do.
"We have to be realistic, we cannot declare a war...," Chretien said. "When you have a business problem that is raised at the level of the president, you (Norex) cannot complain."
Chretien told reporters he would discuss Norex's problems again with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
Norex says Tyumen Oil has taken over Yugraneft by force, evicting its officials and installing its own representative as director. Tyumen denies the accusation.
Norex also says it has 96.6 percent of Yugraneft, while Tyumen says its own share is 40 percent. It also went to court to freeze 50 percent stake of Norex's stake.
Tyumen's lawyer, Vladimir Kuznetsov, told a news conference the firm would challenge Norex in a Siberian court on July 31.
He said Norex had failed to make its stipulated contribution to Yugraneft's charter capital, while Tyumen's own affiliate, Chernogorneft (CHGZ.RTS), had done.
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