FROM EIR DAILY ALERT
This Is the Right Time for the Germans To Follow an Austrian
Feb. 22, 2018 (EIRNS)— It is worth stressing the difference between the way the New Silk Road is dealt with in the Austrian government program, versus the German Coalition Agreement. The former says Austria should join the New Silk Road, while the latter abdicates any decision to the EU—and we know what happens at the level of the EU.
Another development from Austria going in the right direction is the deal signed between the Austrian and Russian railways at the International Rail Forum and Conference now underway in Prague. As TASS reported, “The Russian Railways and the Austrian Railways (ÖBB) have clinched an agreement which stipulates, in particular, development of cooperation on third-country markets.”
Andreas Matthá, CEO of ÖBB Holding AG, is reported in wallstreet:online saying at the conference that,
“The further development of the Eurasian Railway Land-Bridge will not only ensure that Europe and Asia come closer to one another, but will also boost economic progress in the participating regions.”
TASS reports that,
“The parties agreed to study possible ways of attracting additional railway traffic flows, bolstering operational and information systems and developing joint passenger traffic.
“The agreement stipulates further cooperation to implement the construction project for a broad gauge railway to Vienna within the joint enterprise Breitspur Planungsgesellschaft mbH, with regard to the feasibility study results. The signed document also stipulates cooperation in innovation technologies.
“Railway administrations and transport agencies of Austria, Slovakia and Ukraine are taking part in the implementation of the project to establish a new Eurasian transport corridor, including the construction of a 1,520 mm wide railway line from Bratislava to Vienna. The project is aimed at creating a new Eurasian transport corridor by extending the broad gauge railway from Kosice, Slovakia to Bratislava with access to Vienna, and establishing an international logistics center in the Vienna-Bratislava area.”
According to wallstreet:online, the EU Commission responsible for rail safety and interoperability Keir Fitch formally supported the freight corridor but “stressed the environmental aspect.”
