Ancient Silk Road to get modern railway counterpart
11 Nov '06
3 min read
TAR is crucial for landlocked countries whose access to world markets is heavily dependent on efficient links to the region's main international ports. Twelve of the world's 30 landlocked countries are in Asia, and 10 are TAR members.
With 60 per cent of the world's population generating 26 per cent of its gross domestic product, Asia's demand for efficient transport is greater than at any time in its history, Mr. Kim said.
UNESCAP experts believe that port efficiency can be enhanced through the integration of rail and shipping to avoid port congestion, a key factor in Asia, which is home to 13 of the world's top 20 container ports.
Signing the agreement were Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam.
Also expected to participate are Bangladesh, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore and Turkmenistan.
The accord will be deposited with the UN Secretary-General in New York and remain open for signature for two years. It will come into force 90 days after eight states deposit instrument of ratification or the equivalent.
The seeds for the 'Iron Silk Road' were sown some five decades ago. In 1960 the initial plan provided for a continuous 14,000 kilometre rail link between Singapore and Turkey, via South-EastAsia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Iran.
The projected network is far more ambitious, with 81,000 kilometres of railway line selected as vital arteries by member countries to provide regional connections as well as links to Europe.
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