<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>mm11-0706_6ke99.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT A - PRESS RELEASE
<TEXT>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A
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                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                               Rio de Janeiro, November 06, 2006
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| CSN is a leading global steel       |   | CSN's process is based on the      |
| producer with operations in Latin   |   | integrated steelworks concept that |
| America, North America, and Europe. |   | uses the Company's own sources of  |
| The Company is a fully integrated   |   | iron ore, limestone and dolomite.  |
| steel producer, the largest coated  |   | Besides its captive mines, CSN     |
| steel producer in Brazil, with      |   | controls logistics assets -- ports |
| current capacity of 5.6 million tons|   | and railways -- which enable an    |
| of crude steel, 5.1 million tons of |   | extremely cost efficient operation.|
| rolled products and 2.9 million tons|   | This concept allows CSN to         |
| of coated steel capacity. Over 50%  |   | continueously capture important    |
| of CSN's steel products are high    |   | levels of sinergies, thus assuring |
| value added ones. CSN is also the   |   | its position as one of the most    |
| sole tin-plate producer in Brazil   |   | cost competitive steel producers   |
| and the fifth largest producer of   |   | in the world.                      |
| tin plate in the world.             |   |                                    |
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       CSN ENHANCES EXISTING PROPOSAL TO WHEELING-PITTSBURGH SHAREHOLDERS;
   WHEELING-PITTSBURGH BOARD ENDORSES ENHANCEMENT AS BEST CURRENT ALTERNATIVE

SAO PAOLO, BRAZIL/WHEELING, WV (USA), November 6, 2006 -Companhia Siderurgica
Nacional (CSN) (NYSE: SID) and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation (NASDAQ: WPSC)
today announced that CSN has offered Wheeling-Pittsburgh an enhancement to its
existing agreement with Wheeling-Pittsburgh. The board of Wheeling Pittsburgh
Corporation has received and endorsed the new proposal as the best alternative
currently available to the Company and its shareholders.
Under the Agreement and Plan of Merger previously announced on October 24, 2006,
the parties agreed to a merger of Wheeling-Pittsburgh with a subsidiary of CSN,
as a result of which the Wheeling-Pittsburgh shareholders would receive 50.5% of
the combined entity and CSN would own the remaining 49.5%. The combined entity
would be known as Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation. CSN also agreed to contribute
$225 million in cash through the issuance by the combined company of a
convertible debt security.

Under the enhanced proposal, for each share of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation,
shareholders will have the choice of electing to receive either i) a share of
common stock in the new combined company ("A Share"); ii) a Depositary Share
that requires CSN to pay $30 per share in cash four years after the merger ("B
Share"); or iii) a combination of A and B Shares. Each B share will represent
the same class of common stock as the A Share that is deposited with a
depositary and will be subject to a mandatory purchase by CSN for $30 per share
on the 4th anniversary of the merger. The total number of B Shares will be
limited to 50% of the total of A and B Shares issued in the merger. The B shares
will be listed for trading on a North American Stock Exchange. CSN and the
Company are in discussions to finalize the enhancement, subject to an amendment
of the existing definitive agreements.

Under the terms of the agreement already announced, CSN will contribute its
modern steel processing facility in Terre Haute, Indiana with current annual
pickled and oiled, cold rolled and galvanized products of 1 million tons,
provide Wheeling-Pittsburgh exclusive U.S. and Canadian distribution rights for
CSN's flat-rolled steel products and commit to a ten-year slab supply agreement,
which will provide a long-term, guaranteed supply of high-quality slabs on
favorable payment terms.

CSN will also contribute $225 million in cash through the issuance by the
combined company of a convertible debt security that, with the consent of the
United Steelworkers, can be converted into equity in three years. Of the $225
million, approximately $150 million will be used for transformative capital
improvements - $75 million to build a new energy-efficient furnace that would
increase Wheeling-Pittsburgh's hot strip mill capacity to 4 million tons, and
the balance to add a second galvanizing line at Terre Haute. The remaining $75
million will be used to enhance the combined company's liquidity position. CSN
and WPC expect to file a preliminary joint proxy statement and prospectus
regarding the CSN transaction with the SEC as soon as possible.

WPC's Annual Meeting of Shareholders to elect its Board of Directors is
scheduled for November 17, 2006 at the White Palace in Wheeling, WV. In
addition, the Company expects to hold a Special Meeting of Stockholders in
January 2007 to vote on the proposed transaction with CSN.



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ABOUT WHEELING-PITTSBURGH
-------------------------

Wheeling-Pittsburgh was organized as a Delaware corporation on June 27, 1920
under the name Wheeling Steel Corporation. Its headquarters is located in
Wheeling, WV, with major production facilities in the Upper Ohio and Monongahela
valleys. Wheeling-Pittsburgh is a holding company that, together with its
several subsidiaries and joint ventures, produces steel and steel products using
both integrated and electric arc furnace technology. The Company has slab making
production capacity of 2.8 million short tons and hot rolling capacity of 3.4
million short tons. Approximately 65 percent of its sales are comprised of high
value-added products.

ABOUT COMPANHIA SIDERURGICA NACIONAL
------------------------------------

CSN is a leading global steel producer with operations in Latin America, North
America, and Europe. CSN is a fully integrated steel producer, the largest
coated steel producer in Brazil, with current capacity of 21.5 million tons of
iron ore, 5.6 million tons of crude steel, 5.1 million tons of rolled products
and 2.9 million tons of coated steel capacity.

CSN's process is based on the integrated steelworks concept that uses the
Company's own sources of iron ore. Besides the iron ore mine, CSN controls
logistics assets -- ports and railways -- that enable an extremely cost
efficient and reliable loading and unloading of slabs and ore for deep sea
vessels. This integrated steelworks concept allows CSN to be one of the most
cost competitive steel producers in the world. CSN has has operations in the
United States since 2001 through its wholly owned subsidiary Companhia
Siderurgica Nacional, LLC (formerly known as Heartland Steel) located at Terre
Haute, Indiana. Companhia Siderurgica Nacional LLC has an annual production
capacity of 1 million tons of pickled and oiled, cold rolled and galvanized
products. CSN shares are traded on the Sao Paolo (BOVESPA) and New York (NYSE)
stock exchanges.


CONTACTS:

For CSN:
Jose Marcos Treiger (Investors)
+55-11-3049-7511

For Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation
Dennis Halpin (Investors)
304-234-2421

                                     # # #

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE

The information contained in this news release and the investor presentation,
other than historical information, consists of forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act. In particular, statements containing estimates or
projections of future operating or financial performance are not historical
facts, and only represent a belief based on various assumptions, all of which
are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views
of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, factors
relating to (1) the risk that the businesses of CSN Holdings Corp. and
Wheeling-Pittsburgh will not be integrated successfully or such integration may
be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) the ability of
CSN, CSN Holdings Corp. and Wheeling-Pittsburgh to realize the expected benefits
from the proposed strategic alliance, including expected operating efficiencies,
synergies, cost savings and increased productivity, and the timing of
realization of any such expected benefits; (3) lower than expected operating
results for Wheeling-Pittsburgh for the remainder of 2006 or for the strategic
alliance; (4) the risk of unexpected consequences resulting from the strategic
alliance; (5) the risk of labor disputes, including as a result of the proposed
strategic alliance or the failure to reach a satisfactory collective bargaining
with the production employees; (6) the ability of the strategic alliance to
operate successfully within a highly cyclical industry; (7) the extent and
timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which the
strategic alliance will operate; (8) the risk of decreasing prices for the
strategic alliance's products; (9) the risk of significant supply shortages and
increases in the cost of raw materials, especially carbon slab supply, and the
impact of rising natural gas prices; (10) rising worldwide transportation costs
due to historically high and volatile oil prices; (11) the ability of the
strategic alliance to complete, and the cost and timing of, capital improvement
projects, including upgrade and expansion of Wheeling-Pittsburgh's hot strip
mill and construction of an additional galvanizing line; (12) increased
competition from substitute materials, such as aluminum; (13) changes in
environmental and other laws and regulations to which the strategic alliance are
subject; (14) adverse changes in interest rates and other financial market
conditions; (15) failure of the convertible financing proposed to be provided by
CSN to be converted to equity; (16) changes in United States trade policy and
governmental actions with respect to imports, particularly with respect to
restrictions or tariffs on the importation of carbons slabs; and (17) political,
legal and economic conditions and developments in the United States and in
foreign countries in which the strategic alliance will operate. There is no
guarantee that the expected events, trends or results will actually occur. The
statements are based on many assumptions and factors, and any changes in such
assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from
current expectations. CSN, CSN Holdings Corp. and Wheeling-Pittsburgh assume no
duty to update forward-looking statements. Reference is made to a more complete
discussion of forward-looking statements and applicable risks contained in CSN's
and Wheeling-Pittsburgh's filings with the SEC.



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