THE Singapore-Kunming Rail Link which will connect the railways of eight Asean nations up to the south Chinese city in Yunnan province is another step closer to being realised.

The project's working group committee met in Singapore on Friday to discuss developments and review progress of the project.

Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy who chaired the meeting, said Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia have all completed their feasibility studies. One section of the rail link - Nong Khai to Vientiane - has been completed.

He is hopeful that the project is on track for completion by 2015.

Asked by reporters whether the political unrest in Myanmar would affect the project, Datuk Seri Chan merely said: "I don't want to speculate".

The 5,000-km rail route will link Singapore to Kunming, running through Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Separate lines will link Laos to Vietnam and Myanmar to China.

There are existing train lines in these countries, but there are no rail links in some sections.

The project was proposed at the 5th Asean summit in December 1995 but progress has been slow due to financial and technical difficulties. The total cost of the project is estimated at nearly S$23 billion.

However, some funding has come in from the Asian Development Bank, the Chinese and the French governments, said Datuk Seri Chan.

The group will be going to New York next Wednesday to seek funding from international organisations at the Asean Finance Ministers' Meeting.

Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Raymond Lim opened the working group meeting here on Friday morning.

In his opening address, Mr Lim said the project is an important part of the grouping's efforts to develop an efficient and integrated transport network in Asean.

'It will facilitate the rapid and seamless movement of people and goods among Asean countries, and enhance the connectivity of the region. Its completion will spur greater economic development and trade in Asean and will be a significant step towards the establishment of the Asean Economic Community, making Asean a more dynamic and competitive region,' he said.

'In the bigger scheme of things, the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link is part of the Trans Asian Railway network, connecting South-east Asia to the Asian mainland and onward to Europe. With enhanced rail connectivity, we will further strengthen people-to-people and economic linkages between Asean and its Asian neighbours.'