BERLIN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Germany's regional government of
Hesse, the home state of K+S SDFGn.DE , denied a newspaper
report saying it was aware that Potash Corp POT.TO was
planning a hostile takeover bid for the German company.
Handelsblatt reported earlier on Tuesday that Canada's
Potash was prepared to launch a hostile takeover bid for is
rival K+S and had informed state leaders in Hesse.
Government officials had two meetings with representatives
of Potash, Michael Busser, spokesman for the Wiesbaden-based
administration said on Tuesday in an emailed statement.
"But a hostile takeover was explicitly not discussed in
either of the two meetings," Busser said. "Quite the contrary,
in none of those meetings did Potash reveal its concrete plans.
The state government, out of concern for thousands of jobs, has
always supported the independence of K+S."