Copyright 2005 Toan Viet Limited Co
Vietnam News Briefs

February 17, 2005

LENGTH: 433 words

HEADLINE: INFRASTRUCTURE: VIETNAM'S PM DEMANDS INTEGRATED TRANSPORT SYSTEM
IN MEKONG DELTA

BODY:

Vietnam's Prime Minister Phan Van Khai yesterday made conclusion of a
two-day conference on development plan for an integrated transport system
to serve regional socio-economic development and ensure national defense
and security in the period of 2005-2010.

According to Prime Minister, zoning work on the regional transport system
is a long-term task and should be implemented in line with the
socio-economic development level of the region to stimulate its growth and
avoid wrongdoing and wastage.

The Mekong Delta region boasts the country's largest farm produce exports
but it lacks any large-scale port, resulting in high transport costs and
traffic congestion as goods are transported through Ho Chi Minh City.
Priority should be give to the development of Can Tho Port to make it
state-of-the-art, Khai said.

Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Transport to study solutions
for developing ship lanes through the Dinh An and Trieu estuaries.

For land routes, Khai asked the ministry to study a plan to extend a
section of Ho Chi Minh highway from Chon Thanh in the southern province of
Binh Phuoc to Vam Cong.

The ministry was required to upgrade Tra Noc in Can Tho city and Phu Quoc
in Kien Giang province to international airports.

The master plan for regional communications development also includes
building four main roads linking the Mekong Delta region with southeastern
provinces and two expressways to Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province.

The top leader noted that railway development was a need for the region
and the ministry should study building a high-speed railway within a
suitable period.

Local authorities should focus on production and trade and find ways to
attract investment and increase the scale of investment, he said.

Moreover, the region must pay attention to other necessary issues such as
job creation, healthcare and education. In the near future, the Government
will invest to develop a large-scale healthcare center in the city of Can
Tho.

To realize the 2005-2010 master plan, Mekong Delta region needs VND60
trillion ($ 3.8 billion), of which, the region can mobilize about VND40
trillion ($ 2.55 billion) and the remainder is facing to difficulties.

The Mekong Delta region, which comprises 13 provinces on an area of 39,712
sq.km with population of 17 million people, has a great transport
potential, especially waterway transport.

The region has 700-km coastline, 28,000-km canals and 40,932-km roads.

(Vietnam Economic Times Feb 17 p1, VNS Feb 17 p1, Liberated Saigon Feb 16
p1, Young People Feb 17 p1)

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