Bangkok--8 Jun--UNISBKK
On 11 June, countries through out Asia will commit to coordinate the development and operation of
international rail routes linking 28 countries through out the region, as the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network enters into force.
A ceremony marking the occasion will be held at the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) - the regional arm of the UN - beginning at 14:00, 11 June, at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.
The Agreement comes into effect ninety days after China became the eighth country to have ratified the treaty. The other parties to the agreement are Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Thailand. Their railway ministers will participate in the ceremony through video messages.
The event will be presided over by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, and will feature a presentation on the Trans-Asian Railway by Mr.
Barry Cable, Director of ESCAP’s Transport Division. It will be followed by a question and answer session with Dr. Heyzer and Mr. Cable, beginning at 14:50. Members of the media are invited to attend the event.
The Trans-Asian railway network comprises 114,000 km of rail routes of international importance. It aims to offer efficient rail transport services for the movement of goods and passengers within the ESCAP region and between Asia and Europe. The network will also provide improved access for landlocked countries to major ports.
The Agreement also identifies stations of international importance most of which are located inland and have similar functions to ports in the coastal areas. These so-called “dry ports” will act as consolidation / distribution centres in the hinterland, create new opportunities for growth and help
bring the benefits of economic and social development to a wider population.
The Agreement is the second treaty to have been developed under the auspices of ESCAP - the other being the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network which entered into force in July 2005. The two networks are major building blocks towards the realization of an international integrated intermodal transport and logistics system for the region.
More information on and maps of the Trans-Asian Railway Network are available at:
http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/index.asp?MenuName=TheTrans-AsianRailway
For further queries, please contact:
Mr. Barry Cable
Director, Transport Division, ESCAP:
Tel: (66) 2 2881371
Email: [email protected]
Mr. Bentley Jenson
UN/ESCAP Information Services
Tel: (66) 2 288 1869
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]