MONGOLIA AND NUCLEAR WEAPON COUNTRIES MEET

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ Representatives of Mongolia and the five nuclear-weapon states, participating in the work of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 NPT, met on May 7 at a review conference at in the Vienna International Center. They have exchanged views on how to strengthen further at the international level Mongolia's nuclear-weapon-free status.

Mongolia's Ambassador J. Enkhsaikhan spoke about measures for promoting the status since 2010 and shared views on the joint measures that can be taken in the near future. Then Ambassadors of the United States, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, France and the PRC spoke and expressed their views on the issues under consideration.

This is the first meeting held in this format since 2001. The Mongolian side is working to change the content of the 2000 joint statement of the nuclear-weapon states that provided nuclear security assurances to Mongolia in connection with its status so that it would reflect more faithfully the country's unique geopolitical location as well as have that status fully recognized at the international level.

At the meeting, the participants exchanged views on the content and format of additional security assurances that the nuclear-weapon states could provide to Mongolia. It was agreed that the nuclear-weapon states would consult among themselves on the proposals discussed and then to meet again with Mongolia.

B.Khuder