Spain 'neutral' on Atlantia-Abertis - De Guindos (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, October 2 - The Spanish government is "neutral" on Italian group Atlantia's takeover bid for Spain's Abertis, Economy and Industry Minister Luis de Guindos said on the sidelines of an Italy-Spain forum in Rome Monday, stressing "there is a specific authority that will deal with the issue". The Benetton family's Atlantia SpA is bidding to buy Abertis Infraestructuras SA in a 16.3 billion-euro ($18 billion) offer that would create the world's biggest operator of toll roads, without the formal backing of its top investor, Criteria Caixa SA.