BANGKOK, June 11 [Xinhua] - Chief of UN Asia-Pacific (regional) arm Dr. Noeleen Heyzer said Thursday the Intergovernmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway Network, with China being an important party, will play a (significant) role in boosting intra-regional trade.

 "The agreement is a framework for (coordinating) the approach for railway development in Asia-Pacific region. It links basically the hinterland of Asia to the coastal area of development," said the executive (secretary) of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in an interview with Xinhua at the ESCAP (headquarters) on Thursday, right after a ceremony marking the agreement coming into force.

 Dr. Heyzer, who is also the UN Under-Secretary-General, said that she thinks that (currently) it is extremely difficult for Asia to trade within itself, citing it lacks the (infrastructure) development as well as connectivity (across) borders to facilitate trade. "In fact, if you look at the exports, Asia is more integrated with the rest of the world than with itself. Only 37 percent of all the exports of Asia is done within the Asian region."

 However, she said that this trans-Asian (railway) network, together with the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian HighwayNetwork which entered into force in July 2005, also under the auspices of ESCAP, is (helping) to increase the connectivity and intermodal transport, which in turn will allow the transfer of goods and services (across) border.

 The mega-network, linking the landlocked countries, the (least0 developed countries, with the more prosperous coastal areas, is "the tremendous way of connectivity that will increase transportation within Asia for trade (as well as) for shared prosperity," said Dr. Heyzer, adding that railway is also energy efficient, using only one half energy (compared) with road transportation.

 The states that have ratified the agreement are Cambodia, China, India, Mongolia, South Korea, Russia, Tajikistan and Thailand. The (agreement) was opened for signature during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Transport at Busan of South Korea in November 2006, almost half a (century) after the idea of a regional railway network was first raised in 1960s. It has now been (signed) by 22 countries.

 She also sees China a new-technology lover, such as the (adoption) of high-speed train, and she hopes much of these new technologies be (shared) with other members of this railway network.

 So China will play a big (role) in the network "in terms of investment, its functioning as a transit country, the new technologies, and also its (being) a big market itself", she said.
 
 At the end of the (exclusive) interview, the ESCAP executive (secretary) shows optimism on the timeline of the huge scheme.

 "With the priorities having been set -- to try to (raise) the sources to deal with the missing link, to upgrade the existing tracks and systems so that they will be up to (international) standards, to basically look at some of the cross-border facilitation, to develop the 'dry ports' railway stations in landlocked countries and areas (identified) as locations of international importance with respect to trade), it's a long-term development, but there will be (phases). we hope some of the phases will be able to take place in the next five years, at least the first (half) [phases]," Dr. Heyzer said.

Question)
1. How will the railway network change Asia?
2. How do you think of the regional cooperation for regional economy?