Autobahn to link Moscow to Polish border?

When addressing a conference entitled "While working to foster the development of the Union state," Pavel Borodin, State Secretary of the Russia-Belarus Union, reported on an investment project to build an autobahn to run from the Polish border to Belarus' capital of Minsk and further on to Moscow.

The road will be part of the transport corridor that will link Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Vladivostok.

Traffic on the route Europe - Belarus - Russia - the Far East may yield up to $10 bln annually, according to Mr. Borodin. "The transport corridor may prove vital for the Union's development," he said.

As of today, Russia and Belarus have harmonised 95 percent of their fuel and energy sectors, 85 percent of machine building industry, 65-70 percent of their agricultural machinery, the state secretary said. There are over 50 industrial programs on the two countries' co-operation agenda.

"The economies of Russia and Belarus make the basis for the effort to build the Union. Billions have to be invested to boost the economies," noted Mr. Borodin.

Experts have worked out only 30 integration projects as of today. By implementing these programs the two countries will earn $300 mln in 2003, according to the state secretary.