LONDON (Standard&Poor's) Oct. 14, 2004--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today it assigned its 'AAA' senior unsecured debt rating to the €1.0 billion 3.25% notes maturing on Oct. 19, 2009, issued by Autobahnen- und Schnellstrassen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft (ASFINAG; AAA/Stable/A-1+), which is based in the Republic of Austria (AAA/Stable/A-1+). "The ratings on ASFINAG reflect its monopoly position as constructor and operator of the Austrian motorway and high-speed road network," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Kai Stukenbrock. "In addition, ASFINAG enjoys strong explicit and implicit Austrian government support. This is ensured by the company's strategic importance to the Republic, which is its sole shareholder, and by a tight legal framework defining the government's role in ASFINAG's operations." ASFINAG is a government-supported
