An MPs’ working group set up
by the Speaker decided on Wednesday by 84.4 percent votes that the State policy
on railway transportation should be discussed by Parliament.  The draft sees the railway as serving processing
and manufacturing plants to be built in Sainshand and providing access to the European
market by linking with the Trans-Siberian railway.

The MPs felt it was easy to
decide to build a narrow railroad to China
if Mongolia
wanted to be content with exporting raw materials only. This would, however,
benefit only mining companies and China, without encouraging domestic
industrialization and expanding the job market. They recalled that for decades,
Mongolia was just a raw
material supplier to Russia,
and it was time to think big.

Minister of Road,
Transportation, Construction and Urban Development Kh.Battulga said the
estimated cost for the proposed industrial complex in Sainshand was USD10 billion.
Some proposals have already been received and work will begin as soon as Parliament
approves the policy on railway. Germany
buys two million tons of coking coal from China
every year, and has expressed its interest to buy it from Mongolia.  Foreign Minister G.Zandanshatar has discussed
coking coal export with South Korean officials. He declared that he would be
personally responsible for implementing the total plan.

Many MPs were found to have
changed their original stand on the new railway but Batj.Batjargal remained
firm in his support for a narrow railroad to China.