LONDON (Standard&Poor's) Aug. 27, 2003--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today it assigned its 'AAA/A-1+' issuer credit ratings to Austrian motorway operator Autobahnen- und Schnellstrassen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft (ASFINAG). The outlook is stable. At the same time, ASFINAG's €10 billion Euro MTN program was assigned 'AAA/A-1+' senior unsecured and short-term debt ratings. "The ratings on ASFINAG reflect strong explicit and implicit government support, ensured by its strategic importance to the Republic of Austria (AAA/Stable/A-1+), which is the company's sole shareholder, and a tight legal framework defining the government's role in ASFINAG's operations," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Kai Stukenbrock. "Moreover, the company enjoys a monopoly position in its field that is not likely to be challenged." ASFINAG is the government
