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Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, after attending the launching ceremony of "HK Rocks.net" cum "Geo-conservation campaign" this afternoon (September 17):
Reporter: Can the Government do something to urge the oil companies to reduce the oil price?
Secretary for the Environment: The petrol price has all along been the result of market forces. Having said that, the Government is keeping a close watch on the trend of international oil prices as well as the pump prices in our petrol filling stations. We are in constant dialogue with all the major petrol suppliers in Hong Kong, and from time to time urge them to make prompt market adjustment, so as to relieve the burden on petrol users. These have all along been what the Government has been doing. So we would expect timely adjustment from petrol filling stations should international oil prices come down, like what we are seeing now.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Ends/Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:34
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