By REBECCA TORR
MAGNETIC trains travelling at up to 500 kilometres an hour could be on the way for Bahrain. The country may also help pioneer alternative sources of energy, under growing links with Germany.
A Transrapid Magnetic Levitation Train may be used for a railway link between Bahrain and Qatar, says German Ambassador Roland Herrmann.
He said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hinted at the possibility of developing a railway link between Qatar and Bahrain using a Transrapid magnetic levitation train, during a visit to Bahrain in March.
The Transrapid is a joint project of German companies Siemens, Thyssen Krupp, and Transrapid International.
Powerful magnets suspend the train a few millimetres from the track, enabling it to reach up to 500 kilometres an hour.
Mr Herrmann said he hoped Bahrain would also co-operate with Germany in the development of alternative power.
"Germany has done a lot on the government side and industrial side for the promotion of alternative energies," he told the GDN to mark German Unity Day,which falls today.
"The government signed an agreement with energy producers in Germany that nuclear power would be phased out and this goes hand in hand with the promotion of biodiesel energy from plants, energy saving, insulating houses properly, wind power, and the use of solar energy."
The German government is also looking into ways to heat water from the sun and using photovoltaic cells, which convert the suns rays into electricity.
"In Germany we put up the biggest power plant of photovoltaic cells worldwide and this uses sunlight to create electricity," said Mr Herrmann.
"I would hope Bahrain would co-operate with us on these aspects. You need an area of sun and all this is available here."
He said highlights of the past year included visits to Bahrain by the German Interior Minister Otto Schily in February and the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in March.
There have also been several trade fair delegations from Germany to Bahrain and around 60 Arab Business Association members and their families met for their annual general meeting in Treston, Germany, in August.
German delegations will be coming to Bahrain for future events including the International Institute for Strategic Studies Second Gulf Dialogue, from December 2 to 4 and the Forum for the Future, on December 10 and 11.
"It demonstrates the economic and political importance of this region and this is in the conscience of our political leaders in Europe and Germany in particular," said Mr Herrmann.
However, he said he would like to see greater collaboration between Germany and Bahrain in the financial and tourism industries.
He said some progress was being made and with regards to tourism three cruise ships, mainly holding German tourists, would be stopping in Bahrain next month.
Mr Herrmann said another area he was working on was increasing the number of Bahraini students studying in Germany.
"There is an increased interest, tuition fees are very low in Germany where more and more courses in English are being offered," he said.
"We also hope to increase interest in vocational training. Many more young people will be entering the job market in the next 10 years and they will need training.
Meanwhile, exports from Bahrain to Germany, from January to June 2005, stood at 14.6 million euros, compared to 14.7m euros for the same time period in 2004.
Imports into Bahrain from Germany, from January to June 2005 were 116.6m euros, compared to 133.1m euros for the same time period in 2004.
Around 600 people gathered for a garden party at Mr Herrmann's residence in Saar last night.
The event featured the national anthem and a cake- cutting ceremony.
