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President Juan Manual Santos announced that China has proposed building a 220 kilometers 'dry canal' linking Colombia’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts by rail.
“It's a real proposal... and it is quite advanced,” Santos told The Financial Times. “I don't want to create exaggerated expectations, but it makes a lot of sense.”
”The studies (the Chinese) have made on the costs of transporting per ton, the cost of investment, they all work out“ added President Santos.
The Panama Canal handles roughly 5% of the world's trade - upto 14,000 ships passing through it annually.
”Colombia has a very important strategic position, and we view the country as a port to the rest of Latin America,” said China's ambassador to Colombia.
“It is an alternative that we can discuss. I am not opposed to any formula that is effective” Santos said.
“And if the world decides to legalize and thinks that that is how we reduce violence and crime, I could go along with that” he added. He said Colombia supports Bolivia’s request to have coke leaves de-criminalized.
http://en.mercopress.com/2011/02/14/colombian-president-supports-legalizing-drugs-if-it-reduces-violence-and-crime
