LONDON (Standard&Poor's) Nov. 7, 2005--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today it assigned its 'AAA' senior unsecured debt rating to the upcoming $1 billion notes maturing in November 2010, to be issued by Austrian state motorway operator Autobahnen- und Schnellstrassen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft's (ASFINAG; AAA/Stable/A-1+), as the company's first U.S. dollar issuance. The rating on the notes is equalized with the senior unsecured debt rating on 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. "They also reflect strong explicit and implicit Austrian government support ensured by the company's strategic importance to the Republic, which is its
