(Adds comments from sources, defence minister)
ROME, Feb 5 (Reuters) - A multi-billion-euro contract thatItalian defence group Finmeccanica was expected to sign lastmonth with Kuwait for the sale of 28 Eurofighter jets has notbeen cancelled, a company spokesman said on Friday.
Shares in Finmeccanica closed down 6 percent with tradersciting a delay in the signing of the deal. A source close to thematter had said Finmeccanica would sign the contract on Jan. 31.
The 20-year contract is expected to be worth between 7billion and 8 billion euros, with Finmeccanica's shareaccounting for roughly half and the rest held by a group ofcompanies in the Eurofighter consortium including planemakerAirbus and Britain's BAE Systems.
Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti dismissed in astatement on Friday rumours about the contract falling through.
She said Kuwait's defence minister had confirmed during ameeting in Rome on Wednesday the "strategic cooperation withItaly based on the EuroFighter project and the will to sign thecontract as quickly as possible".
Sources close to the matter told Reuters this week that theparties were still working out details of the accord, such asstaff training and logistics support. (Reporting by Alberto Sisto, Antonella Cinelli, Steve Jewkes;Editing by Mark Heinrich)