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The Hong Kong and Netherlands governments yesterday signed a protocol for operational import and export arrangements of horses for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games' equestrian events.

The protocol was signed by Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Stella Hung and Director-General of the Netherlands' Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Renee Bergkamp.

Hong Kong has been chosen to host the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Welcoming the guests on the ocassion, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow called the ceremony a milestone in Hong Kong's quarantine arrangements for the import of horses for the two events.

"It's the first protocol we've signed with the Netherlands, especially for the 2008 Olympics equestrian events. Its execution will set the stage for stronger links between Hong Kong and the Netherlands," Chow said.

The main purpose of putting in place the operational arrangements is to ensure that imported horses are free from diseases and can be sent back to their bases after the events as well as to prevent the spread of diseases among the competing horses, Chow said.

"The Hong Kong government is making the utmost efforts for the arrangements," Bergkamp said. "I trust that our cooperation will not stop with the 2008 equestrian events (and hope) there will be other permanent agreements in the future."

More than 100 competing horses from UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries and regions will reach Hong Kong via the Netherlands, given its position as one of Europe's major trading centres.

Horses from the UK, the US, Germany, France and other European countries, too, will come via the Netherlands for the trials next year. All the horses will go through a seven-day quarantine in the originating countries and regions and a three-day quarantine in Hong Kong.

"They will have received the necessary vaccinations for horse flu and other diseases and be inspected by our official veterinarians to see if they are fit for competitions," Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Thomas Sit said.

The Hong Kong government has already signed horse import and export protocols with 17 countries and regions, and Sit said 20 to 30 more would be signed before the events.