Russia's energy giant Gazprom will accelerate construction of a new pipeline to Europe bypassing Ukraine and running through Belarus. Belarussian state company Beltranshaz intends to help to realise this project.The total gas pipeline network on Belarussian territory is about 600 km long.

The South Korea-based Hyundai Engineering and Construction is expected to secure $4.7 billion worth of projects abroad this year.The overseas projects would reach around 15 trillion won ($13.3 billion) by 2002, with 10 trillion won in sales during the period under its new management strategy, the company said.

Indonesia's state gas firm PGN will build an underground gas transmission pipeline from Palembang to Singapore via Jambi, Batam, to comply with Singapore's request for 400 million cu m of gas by 2005, according to the company's president Nur Subagio Priyo.

Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corporation has reached an agreement with a banking consortium for $10.53 billion in syndicated loans to build the island's $15 billion bullet train project."The banking consortium and the transport ministry finally have settled details on the loans," said a corporation spokesman.

Intermat 2000, an exhibition for construction and civil engineering professionals, will be held at Paris-Nord Exhibition Centre, France, from May 16-21.Intermat 2000 will have a new hall this year for equipment and technology aimed primarily at construction firms (small site equipment, concrete mixing, scaffolding, demolition, safety, etc).