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Chrysler would be better off if Kirk Kerkorian, its largest shareholder, sold his stake in the company. That's what Chrysler Chairman Robert Eaton tells reporters at the mid-May annual meeting (see Auto Talk, p. 18). "Mr. Kerkorian has been a very disruptive force recently - we hope that goes away," he says. Although Chrysler has no plans to buy Mr. Kerkorian's 10% stake, Mr. Eaton's criticism of his offer doesn't stop there. That kind of "highly leveraged" buyout offer wouldn't work, Mr. Eaton says. It would saddle the company with a heavy debt burden. Those sort of words don't prepare the ground work for a kiss-and-make-up atmosphere once the Chrysler/Kerkorian flap is over.
