TT VV Kie^.t: Xa lo^. Ba('c Nam pha?i ddu+o+.c ba('t dda^`u na(m 98

[Dam Son <son@fermi.phys.washington.edu>]

PM VVKiet: North-South Highway must start in 1998

Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet talked to the press about the North-South
Highway project, which will cost billions of U.S. dollars. Excerpts: 

Q: Mr. Prime Minister, can the North-South Highway possibly be constructed
as there are many differing opinions about the project? 

A: These are the opinions of the National Assembly (NA), aren't they? It
is right that the NA has shown concerns over the project. We have
carefully considered both requirements and availability of resources. If
there are favorable conditions, especially international assistance, the
project can be implemented sooner. 

It depends on the NA because this law-making body will decide the budget
for the highway. It is an imperative task now to develop the route as the
country is pursuing the industrialization and modernization policy while
it has only one backbone road [National Highway 1]. 

Q: What are the most difficult issues of the project? 

A: The first is capital and the second is how to mobilize people's
resources. 

Q: The main difficulty is not only capital, is it? 

A: The issue is not just capital, the budget or foreign loans, but how to
launch a movement to encourage the masses, especially young people, to
accelerate industrialization. 

Q: The project, therefore, is seen as a breakthrough. 

A: Yes. For my generation, industrialization is just a dream or an
ambition while it is a reality for young people. All that the youths are
doing now is for themselves, nothing for others. 

Q: You have asked international financial institutions to support the
project, have they responded to your request? 

A: They have not yet proposed providing assistance for the project.
However, they have acknowledged that the "Achilles' heel" of Vietnam's
industrialization period is poor social and economic infrastructure,
including irrigation, electric power, communications, schools and
hospitals. The Ministry of Finance has mapped out plans to construct the
highway with domestic capital sources. 

Q: What is your opinion? 

A: We have to resort to various solutions and it is certain that the
country will have to ask international financial institutions to support
the project. We will have to mobilize capital from different sources. 

Q: How long will it take to complete the construction of the proposed
highway? 

A: It is expected that it will take around 15 years to finish the whole
route. 

Q: How about the first phase? 

A: The first phase, expected to last until 1999, will focus on developing
a section linking Hoa Binh with Road 14 in the Central Highlands. This
section, which initially has two lanes, will support National Highway 1A.
In the second, the section will be expanded into four lanes. 

Q: When will construction work start? 

A: Construction is expected to begin in 1998. 

The highway will go through many forests, most of them in the Truong Son
mountain range and the Central Highlands. Are you concerned that many
trees will be cut down? 

I pay special attention to the project in economic, social and
environmental terms. A survey of locations where the highway will go shows
that forests, residential areas and rice fields will not be much affected.