沙特就與西班牙合作高鐵項目發出最後警告

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - Saudi Arabiahas given a "final warning" to avoid delays on an $8.2 billionhigh-speed rail project which Spanish and Saudi firms are helping to build.

沙特吉達（法新社）——沙特已經對一個價值82億美元的高鐵項目的延遲問題發出警告，該項目由西班牙和沙特公司共同建造。

The Haramain High Speed Rail system is totransport Muslim pilgrims, as well as regular travellers, 450 kilometres (280miles) between the holy cities of Mecca and Medina via the Red Sea port ofJeddah.

這個哈拉曼高鐵系統將用來運送穆斯林朝聖者和普通旅客，鏈接聖城麥加和麥地那，經由紅海港口吉達，總長450公里。

Saudi Arabia signed a deal three years agofor a Spanish consortium to build the rail track, supply 35 high-speed trains andhandle a 12-year maintenance contract.譯文來源:龍騰網

沙特三年前簽訂了這個協議，讓一家西班牙財團來建造這個鐵路，並提供35列高速列車，以及一個12年的維護保養合同。

The Saudi Bin Laden Consortium and SaudiOger Joint Venture received contracts for four stations, while Al-RajhiAlliance in 2009 won the bid to construct bridges, culverts and similar work.

沙特本拉登財團和沙特沙烏地奧格合資公司獲得其中四個車站的建設合同，而Al-Rajhi Alliance公司在2009年獲得競標來建造橋樑，涵洞以及類似的工程。

But during a two-day inspection tour lastweek, the kingdom's new Transport Minister Abdullah bin Abdulrahman al-Muqbelwarned that time was running out, his ministry said in a statement obtained onWednesday.

但是在上週的兩天檢查期間，沙特新交通部長Abdullah bin Abdulrahman al-Muqbel警告說時間已經不多。

After visiting the Mecca station andbridges along the route, Muqbel told the contractor -- which was not named --"to present an urgent plan to avoid delays within the next twomonths," by increasing the workforce and supplies.

在查看麥加站和沿途的橋樑後，他要求承包商在未來兩個月內拿出應急的計劃以避免延期，即增加工人數量和供應量。

"This is also considered a finalwarning either to commit and improve performance or face theconsequences," the ministry said.

“這也是最後的警告，要麼提高效率，要麼後果自負，”沙特交通部說。

Spain has become a world leader inhigh-speed rail networks and now has the longest such system in Europe, aheadof France, which pioneered the technology.

西班牙在高鐵技術上已經成爲世界領導者，其高鐵里程在歐洲位列第一，超過法國，而法國是高鐵技術的先驅。

Saudi Arabia is expanding its railways,including with a $22.5 billion metro system under construction in the capitalRiyadh.

沙特正在擴張自己的鐵路系統，包括首都利雅得正在進行的225億美元的地鐵系統。

A consortium involving Spain's FCC is partof that project.

承建該項目的財團中就包括了西班牙的FCC。

The annual hajj, which is to be held inSeptember next year, attracts about two million Muslim pilgrims to the Meccaregion.

每年的麥加朝聖會吸引來200萬的朝聖者，下一次的麥加朝聖發生在明年九月份。