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| Trump praises 'amazing' Salmond | Trump praises 'amazing' Salmond |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The American tycoon Donald Trump has called First Minister Alex Salmond "an amazing man". | The American tycoon Donald Trump has called First Minister Alex Salmond "an amazing man". |
| He said ministers did Scotland a "great service" in calling in his application for an Aberdeenshire golf resort after it was rejected by a council committee. | He said ministers did Scotland a "great service" in calling in his application for an Aberdeenshire golf resort after it was rejected by a council committee. |
| Mr Trump told BBC Scotland that he was "honoured" by the parliamentary inquiry into the affair, as it may lead to improvements in the planning process. | Mr Trump told BBC Scotland that he was "honoured" by the parliamentary inquiry into the affair, as it may lead to improvements in the planning process. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Salmond appeared again at the Holyrood probe into the £1bn plans. | Meanwhile, Mr Salmond appeared again at the Holyrood probe into the £1bn plans. |
| The inquiry has been investigating the handling of the proposals, which were called in by ministers after being rejected by Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee. | The inquiry has been investigating the handling of the proposals, which were called in by ministers after being rejected by Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee. |
| Speaking exclusively to BBC Scotland, Mr Trump referred to that decision as "a little road block". | Speaking exclusively to BBC Scotland, Mr Trump referred to that decision as "a little road block". |
| He said: "I hardly know Alex Salmond, but what I know is that he's an amazing man. | He said: "I hardly know Alex Salmond, but what I know is that he's an amazing man. |
| Maybe he (Alex Salmond) won't want this project... although it would be hard to believe when 93% of the local community voted for it in the local paper Donald Trump Send us your views class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7204110.stm">Fighting spirit from Trump | |
| "He's a person who believes strongly in Scotland and he wants economic development in Scotland. | "He's a person who believes strongly in Scotland and he wants economic development in Scotland. |
| "Alex Salmond and I have virtually never even talked about this job but I know for a fact that he - and anyone else who's representing Scotland, unless they're the enemy - wants billions of pounds to come into Aberdeenshire and Scotland." | "Alex Salmond and I have virtually never even talked about this job but I know for a fact that he - and anyone else who's representing Scotland, unless they're the enemy - wants billions of pounds to come into Aberdeenshire and Scotland." |
| He said he had "great respect" for Mr Salmond and that they only talked about Scotland when they met last year. | He said he had "great respect" for Mr Salmond and that they only talked about Scotland when they met last year. |
| "Maybe he won't want this project - it's possible - although it would be hard to believe when 93% of the local community voted for it in the local paper," he added. | "Maybe he won't want this project - it's possible - although it would be hard to believe when 93% of the local community voted for it in the local paper," he added. |
| But Mr Trump said he had been given no assurances by the first minister about the proposed golf development. | But Mr Trump said he had been given no assurances by the first minister about the proposed golf development. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Salmond was questioned for a second time by Holyrood's local government committee, which is looking into the handling of the Trump plans. | Meanwhile, Mr Salmond was questioned for a second time by Holyrood's local government committee, which is looking into the handling of the Trump plans. |
| Mr Salmond has appeared again before a committee of MSPs | |
| He stated that he had never spoken publicly or privately about the merits of the application as first minister. | He stated that he had never spoken publicly or privately about the merits of the application as first minister. |
| Mr Salmond added that he had expressed support for the golf course plans - with some reservations - at a hustings during the Holyrood election campaign, before he was an MSP or a minister. | Mr Salmond added that he had expressed support for the golf course plans - with some reservations - at a hustings during the Holyrood election campaign, before he was an MSP or a minister. |
| The committee will also again question Finance Secretary John Swinney. | The committee will also again question Finance Secretary John Swinney. |
| He will decide if the plans for the Menie Estate get the go-ahead. | He will decide if the plans for the Menie Estate get the go-ahead. |
| Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen has been the most vocal critic over the government's involvement with the plans, claiming its handling of them "smelled of sleaze". | Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen has been the most vocal critic over the government's involvement with the plans, claiming its handling of them "smelled of sleaze". |
| Mr Salmond is excluded from the decision-making process because Mr Trump's plans are in his Gordon seat, but said he had done nothing wrong in meeting with all sides on the issue in his role as a constituency MSP. | Mr Salmond is excluded from the decision-making process because Mr Trump's plans are in his Gordon seat, but said he had done nothing wrong in meeting with all sides on the issue in his role as a constituency MSP. |
| Scotland's top civil servant, Sir John Elvidge, has also ruled that all civil servants involved in the planning application had obeyed the rules. | Scotland's top civil servant, Sir John Elvidge, has also ruled that all civil servants involved in the planning application had obeyed the rules. |