BIMSTEC group seeks new transport l

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BIMSTEC group seeks new transport links

>From The Hindu Newspaper of 7 July, 2000

New Delhi, July 6, 2000: In a bid to develop key sectors of their
economy, the group of five countries straddling the Bay of Bengal-
BIMSTEC- have decided to develop new transport links, expand energy
cooperation and enhance trade.

The ministers of state of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and
Thailand who concluded their meeting today have decided to prioritize
the development of intra-regional roads and railways.

These discussions took place in the backdrop of the assertion by the
External Affairs Minister Mr. Jaswant Singh, this morning that the
BIMSTEC must deliver the concerted economic benefits to the people of
member countries.

According to the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Ajit Panja,
BIMSTEC representatives have decided to speed up construction of a
trans-Asian highway.

That essentially means extending an existing road of around 1,500 km
from Vietnam to Thailand towards Myanmar and Bangladesh. The corridor is
expected to terminate at Calcutta.

The details of the alignment of the road corridor have already been
worked out and work on the project is expected to commence soon. Studies
about the rail passage are still being conducted, the secretary (ER) in
the Foreign Office, Mr. S.T. Devare, said.

The five countries have also decided to push cooperation in the field of
energy.

Myanmar is the hub of energy supplies in this zone and is already
exporting its Andaman Sea gas to Thailand. Details of the westward
extension of this route are still to be worked out.

According to analysts, Myanmar and Bangladesh can establish a pipeline,
which will take gas and oil to the energy-hungry market of India.

Bangladesh, which is likely to have large reserves of natural gas,
however, is yet to show enthusiasm of exporting energy to India because
of internal political compulsions.

According to Mr. U Tin Latt, Ambassador of Myanmar to India, Thailand
has been assigned the responsibility to implement an action plan on
crating the regional infrastructure for the development of natural gas
in the Bay of Bengal area. India, on its part will be chief coordinator
for developing renewable energy resources in this zone.