AB ASTRA SHARE SPLIT TO WIDEN FOREIGN OWNERSHIP AB Astra <ASTS.ST> said it was proposing a two-for-one share split and the issue in June of a new series of foreign-targeted shares with lower voting rights as part of a strategy to internationalise the company. The deal, which requires Swedish government approval, will raise the percentage of foreign voting rights allowed in the medical group to 22.5 pct from 20 pct, Astra said. An extraordinary meeting of Astra's board proposed the creation of B free shares open to foreign buyers with one tenth of a voting right per share. At present, Astra stock consists of one series of restricted shares and one of free shares.