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Transcript of Financial Secretary's remarks on CT9
Following is a transcript of the remarks by the Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, at the media session on Container Terminal 9 this (Wednesday) afternoon:
Question: ...Inaudible...?
Financial Secretary: There has been no lack of clarity, I think in the statement issued it is quite clear that two Ministers had reached a common view on the way which we should go ahead. It is also clear that provided..provided that the various corporations interested in the development of Terminal Nine would come up with a proposal acceptable to them and establish on the basis which I've just described, in that it would promote the efficiency and the competitiveness of our container terminal development and the two governments would be able to accept that. And then from the Hong Kong Government's point of view, it is a very very important development and I would like to urge the terminal operators to concentrate their minds on this way forward.
Question: What role will Jardine be playing in the ...(Inaudible)..?
Financial Secretary: Well, in a way it is one of the players involved and they should participate in the talks.
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Statement on Container Terminal 9
The Hong Kong Government issues the following statement today (Wednesday):
"Since the agreement between the Foreign Ministers in October last year to intensify efforts to find a solution to the question of Container Terminal 9, discussions have taken place with all the commercial parties involved.
"These discussions have proceeded on the basis that the best way forward to secure arrangements for the effective, rapid and competitive development of Hong Kong's container port should be through the rationalisation of berth ownership in container terminals one through nine.
"In their meeting on January 9 the Foreign Ministers reviewed the progress of these discussions and confirmed that, once the consortia had reached agreement on this basis, such an arrangement would be acceptable to the two governments.
"Hong Kong Government spokesman welcomed this outcome of the Foreign Ministers' meeting and urged the consortia to bring their discussions to an early and successful conclusion."
End