THE FORUM OF TRANSPORT WORKERS OF EUROPE AND ASIA

The main things - efficiency and common sense
Results and perspectives

Eugeney Kazantsev
Deputy Minister of Transportation
of the Russian Federation

        Approval of final document can be considered a result of work of any forum. At the first International Euro-Asian conference on transportation it was Declaration. Work on Declaration started at the same time with preparation of the conference. International organizations also were involved. Five versions of Declaration were worked out. Work on the last one was finished on the day of opening the conference. However the delegates spoke about many amendments. The questions of principle also were touched. The delegations made some proposals to make the results of the conference more appreciable and efficient. All of them were considered, and many were stated in the final version of the document.
        This is how Declaration that was approved in May 1998 was born.
        The main resulting document of the conference showed the ways of development of effective Euro-Asian transportation connections. According to unanimous opinion of the participants the ways should have been developed taking into consideration further efforts in progressive liberalization of transportation markets, increase in intermodal transportation, improved use of transportation network, development of information-logistics systems for monitoring transportation process, preparing of effective mechanism of financing of the transportation infrastructure objects. According to Declaration a number of steps for development of integrated Euro - Asian transportation system should have been taken.
         How these instructions of the conference were realized during last 2 years? How cooperation between European and Asian countries developed in the different areas of transportation? How did we follow the directions of Declaration, that became an official document of UNO, was approved by Council of European Conference of Ministers of Transportation, Coordination Transportation meeting of CIS transportation ministers? Before the Second International Euro-Asian conference on transportation we can answer those and other questions, that life raised.
        -As long ago as over a year the ministers of transportation of Russia, Byelorussia and Kazakhstan decided to create the work group on the issue of development of transportation passage China -Kazakhstan -Russia -Byelorussia connected with international transportation passage N 2 and Europe…
        - Possibilities of extension of passage N 2 from Nizny Novgorod through Ekaterinburg connecting with Transsiberain railway are being studied…
- The issue of creation of the international passage North-South that connects India, Iran, Russia and Europe is being actively worked at…
        - Progressive and simultaneous opening of internal water ways of each country for the citizens and shipping companies of countries - members of EEC and Russia is being discussed. Free navigation and providing of necessary services for international transportation river-sea is the purpose…
        - Working on bringing together transportation laws is still in progress…

        Development of what is being done and has already been done according to Declaration is the main goal of forthcoming International Euro-Asian Conference on transportation.
        Signing the joint program of actions for years 2000-2003 by the ministers of transportation of the countries - members of General European Barentsev - European transportation zone is planned at the conference. By the way, since March of this year the chairman of the leading committee on development of this zone is Russian.
        The second International Euro - Asian conference was prepared according to Declaration, that recommends to carry the conference out once 2-3 years. The problems of further development of Euro - Asian transportation systems will be discussed at the conference. First of all, of course, at the conference we will stand for and promote economical interests of Russia, that will further transformation of our country into developed transit power on transportation of goods from the countries of South-East Asia to West Europe.
        Of course, resulting document will be passed at the conference also. The participants will determine its form and contents like at the first Euro - Asian conference on transportation. No doubt, progress in development of Euro-Asian transportation connections reached between two conference will be reflected in it.