Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) has decided to fully purchase the mobile-phone assets of Luxemburg-based Millicom International Cellular S.A in Sri Lanka.

The sources said that the proposed acquisition would pave the way for Etisalat to expand abroad.

Etisalat didn't reveal the financial details of the deal.

Millicom, controlled by Sweden's Kinnevik Investment AB, engages in offering prepaid wireless services in emerging markets. The company is marketing selling assets in Asia, entailing units in Cambodia and Sri Lanka, to limit competitive and political risks.

The sources informed that Middle Eastern telephone-service providers are expanding their footprints in Africa and Asia to seek growth in emerging markets.

As per reports, Last year Etisalat had agreed to purchase 45% stake in India's Swan Telecom and in July agreed to rent Reliance Communications Ltd.'s wireless network in the country.