You're reading: Russian Railways chief believes tunnel can be built under Bering Strait

A decision on building a tunnel under the Bering Strait to connect the railway infrastructures of Russia and North America should be made before 2017, Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin told journalists on Saturday, Apr. 7.

"I am sure that Russia needs to develop railway services in the Far East and Kamchatka, and I believe a decision on building [a tunnel under the Bering Strait] should be made within the next three to five years. I mean a decision should be made that this should be done in principle," Yakunin said.

"These are not just dreams. I said about this for the first time when I took this office," he said.

Yakunin said that, five years after he became the Russian Railways president, he was approached by some U.S. business people who suggested that research should be done on building such a link.

"So these are not just dreams. As a matter of fact, a design of this project is being worked on now," he said.

"As for when this could be put into practice, I think it should take 10 to 15 years," Yakunin said.

The project can be implemented only based on multilateral cooperation between various countries, Yakunin said. "America should be on the one side and Russia on the other. China is interested as well, and so multilateral cooperation is inevitable," he said.