Egypt is planning a giant bridge across the Red Sea. The government in Cairo has agreed to SPIEGEL information with Saudi Arabia on a direct road link between the two countries. The major construction project could cause trouble with Israel.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia want to build a gigantic train and highway bridge over the Gulf of Aqaba. The project had been discussed since 1988, now approved, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Transport finally. Abdul Aziz, an army general and chairman of the Arab Road Association, was commissioned by Prime Minister Issam Sharaf, to monitor the implementation of major project.
The 32-kilometer bridge is between Cape Nasrani - are built and the Saudi Arabian Ras Hamid - near the Egyptian Sinai resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. Parts of the route in the Straits of Tiran are designed as a hanging bridge.
For the Arabs would be the major construction project is a triumph: for the first time since Israel was founded In 1948, cross the Arabs of North Africa a direct connection to its sister states on the Asian continent, without having to Israel. Risky ferry across the Red Sea and Arab Mediterranean ports could therefore be largely superfluous.
The estimated construction cost of roughly five billion dollars to build bridges to be recouped through user fees from the millions of pilgrims. Their number could rise significantly after the construction of the bridge. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, ex-had to cancel the mammoth project shortly before the start of construction five years ago because of Israeli security concerns abruptly.
A Saudi government spokesman said: "We let no one come talk to our plans, the Strait of Tiran is international waters.." Western diplomats think the timing of the announcement of the pan-Arab bridge plans for targeted enhancement of the weak Egyptian government. For Israel and Jordan, this section of the Red Sea as access to the Indian Ocean is of great importance.
Rotes Meer: Ägypten genehmigt Mega-Brücke nach Saudi-Arabien - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Reise
Egypt and Saudi Arabia want to build a gigantic train and highway bridge over the Gulf of Aqaba. The project had been discussed since 1988, now approved, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Transport finally. Abdul Aziz, an army general and chairman of the Arab Road Association, was commissioned by Prime Minister Issam Sharaf, to monitor the implementation of major project.
The 32-kilometer bridge is between Cape Nasrani - are built and the Saudi Arabian Ras Hamid - near the Egyptian Sinai resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. Parts of the route in the Straits of Tiran are designed as a hanging bridge.
For the Arabs would be the major construction project is a triumph: for the first time since Israel was founded In 1948, cross the Arabs of North Africa a direct connection to its sister states on the Asian continent, without having to Israel. Risky ferry across the Red Sea and Arab Mediterranean ports could therefore be largely superfluous.
The estimated construction cost of roughly five billion dollars to build bridges to be recouped through user fees from the millions of pilgrims. Their number could rise significantly after the construction of the bridge. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, ex-had to cancel the mammoth project shortly before the start of construction five years ago because of Israeli security concerns abruptly.
A Saudi government spokesman said: "We let no one come talk to our plans, the Strait of Tiran is international waters.." Western diplomats think the timing of the announcement of the pan-Arab bridge plans for targeted enhancement of the weak Egyptian government. For Israel and Jordan, this section of the Red Sea as access to the Indian Ocean is of great importance.
Rotes Meer: Ägypten genehmigt Mega-Brücke nach Saudi-Arabien - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Reise
