Japan to Fund Second Bridge Over Mekong  

   BANGKOK (June 14) XINHUA - Japan has agreed in principle 
to loan  Laos 36.5 million U.S. dollars to construct a 
second Mekong River  bridge linking the land-locked country 
to neighboring Thailand.
   Japan is expected to approve the loan next month, and 
the construction  of the bridge should begin at the end of 
2000, according to a report  from the official Lao press.
   The report, received here Sunday, said the financial 
arrangement for  the 1.44-kilometer bridge was agreed upon 
last Friday between the Lao  Ministry of Communication and 
Japan's Overseas Economic Cooperation  Fund.
   The bridge will link Thailand's Mukdahan province, 640 
kilometers to  the northeast  of Bangkok, with the Laotian 
city of Savanakhet which  lies on Highway 9 that runs to 
the ports of Hue and Danang in central  Vietnam.
   In another development, Japan has agreed to grant 5.8 
million dollars  to Laos. The fund will be used for the 
construction of an afforestation  center and malaria 
control as well as for debt relief in the first half  of 
this year.
   Laos, one of the least developed countries in the world, 
is courting  foreign investment to help it upgrade 
infrastructure.
   

JAPAN GRANTS AID TO LAOS FOR AFFORESTATION CENTER  

   June 12 (Asia Pulse via COMTEX) -- (The following is a 
June 10 press  release of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.)  

   TOKYO, June 12 Asia Pulse - The Government of Japan has 
decided to  extend grants-in-aid of up to a total of 676 
million yen to the  Government of the Lao People's 
Democratic Republic for the following  two projects:
   1. Project for Construction of Afforestation Center - up 
to 416 million  yen
   2. Project for Malaria Control - up to 260 million yen 
Notes to this  effect were exchanged between the two 
governments on June 10 (Wed) in  Vientiane.
   (Nikkei)