Yangon, 15 May - The Press Meet of the Third Special Working Group Meeting on the Singapore Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) between delegation leaders and officials of the ASEAN Secretariat and journalists was held at Sedona Hotel on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road at 9.45 am today.

First, Deputy Minister for Rail Transportation Thura U Thaung Lwin explained matters related to the Press meet. Then, delegation leaders and official of the ASEAN Secretariat made introductory speeches. Then, Deputy Minister Thura U Thaung Lwin, delegation leaders and the official of the ASEAN Secretariat answered the queries raised by NTV correspondent U Aung Shwe Oo, correspondent U Hla Htwe of Nihon Keizai Shimbun daily, Director (News) U Hla Tun of News and Periodicals Enterprise and correspondent U Nyunt Tin of Fuji Television. In answering the question raised by U Aung Shwe Oo, Thura U Thaung Lwin said: KL

Consult was given the job for feasibility study funded by the Malaysian Government which contributed 2 million ringgits for this project. The feasibility study concentrates on six routes. Route-1 starting from Singapore which will pass through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and then to China. Route-2, the common route is from Singapore passing through Malaysia and Thailand and passes through Myanmar from Three-Pagoda-Pass and then proceeds to China. Route 3, 5 and 6 are to connect Kunming of China from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. The recommended route which passes Myanmar is proposed at the ASEAN Summit.

It is Route-1 as well as part of Route-2 which includes Mawlamyine, Thanbyuzayat, Three Pagoda Pass and Namtok. Myanmar's involvement is from Mawlamyine to Three Pagoda Pass which is 200 km. From Mawlamyine to Thanbyuzayat is about 90 km which will be rehabilitated. From Thanbyuzayat to Three Pagoda Pass is about 110 km which will be a new construction. Regarding Thanbyuzayat to Three Pagoda Pass section we are waiting for external funding. Feasibility study conducted by KL Consult focuses on economic, technical and financial feasibility. It also includes other aspects of environmental and socio-economic impact too. In replying to queries by U Hla Htwe, Thura U Thaung Lwin said: I would like to explain about railroad gauge. At present, from Singapore passing through Malaysia and Thailand existing line is metre gauge and Vietnam also. So there are some standard gauge.

From the China-Vietnamese border to Kunming, there also exists metre gauge. So, Singapore-Kunming rail link will be metre gauge line. We are considering the construction of metre gauge line to link the existing metre gauge rail track. The recommended Route-1 is 5,382 km long. And there are 431 km of missing links. Its spur line will be 585 km which is to be newly constructed too. The cost for construction is estimated to be 2.5 billion US$. It was estimated in 1997. Concerning the implementation we have already had tentative time frame.

The time frame to finish the project is set for 2004 and for conducting full feasibility study in detailed design for other missing sections in those requiring new construction, the time frame for full feasibility study is 2003 to 2005. In securing funding assistance, it's time frame is from 2005 to 2007. To commence the construction, the time frame starts from 2008-2009. The completion time will depend on availability of funding, So, all the countries concerned as well as dialogue partners and international agencies are requested to cooperate to help for needed funding. At this moment, Laos has received some proposals for BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) system. In replying to question by U Nyunt Tin, the official from ASEAN Secretariat said: there will be possibility that ADB will participate in this project in the context of implementing the Poipet-Sisophon rail link project.

At the moment, the ADB has provided some kind of technical assistance to Cambodia in preparing transport strategy project. In this meeting, the ADB representative has indicated that they will provide assistance to Vietnam. The ADB as well as China, Japan and Korea will provide assistance to implementation of this project. The Press Meet came to an end at 10 am.

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