Russian Railways considers China offer on joint railway project

MOSCOW, July 20 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Railways company considers
an offer of Chinese partners to build jointly a high-speed rail link that
would connect Beijing and Berlin and Beijing and Paris, company head
Vladimir Yakunin said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper on
Tuesday.
According to him, a few days ago Chinese partners offered him to look
into the idea of high-speed trains. "I liked the idea very much," Yakunin
said.
"Within the framework of professional negotiations connected with the
development of cooperation in our sector, one Chinese businessman said in
earnest that maybe one day - not in five or even in ten years, such a
train will dash from China to Europe across the Russian territory,"
Yakunin said.
"I also agree with that. And this may become a real project," he added.
"At present, using the Trans-Siberian Railway we can carry cargoes
from the border with the European Union in seven days. And if we imagine
that Russia together with China will be able to build a direct high-speed
rail link, how long will it take then? Maybe one day will not be enough,
but surely it will take less than a week," Yakunin stressed.
-0-zhe/ism