Mongolia Brief July 3, 2014 Part II
Scientific conference held for 20th anniversary of Foreign Policy Concept
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) The Diplomatic Academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Thursday hosted a scientific conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of
the Concept of the Foreign Policy of Mongolia.
Co-organized
with the “Ambassador” club and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), the
scientific conference was attended by D.Terbishdagva, the Deputy Prime
Minister; S.Oyun MP, the Minister of Environment and Green Development;
N.Enkhbold, M.Batchimeg, Ts.Tsolmon MPs; B.Batbayar, a columnist;
Ts.Gombosuren, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs; other diplomatic and
scholars.
Director of the
Diplomatic Academy Kh.Bekhbat made the opening remarks, saying that the
conference’s main objective is to consider role and content of the document
adopted in 1994, and ways of upgrading the concept and promoting the
continuation of the foreign affairs of Mongolia.
After this, the
Deputy Premier Terbishdagva gave a sceech, emphasizing Mongolia is one of the
plenipotentiary members of the international community, and has become an
internationally-recognized nation maintaining the active foreign policy based
on global peace, security and democratic valuables.
A delegate from
the KAF Johannes D.Rai conveyed a greeting, whereas the Minister of Foreign
Affairs Mr Bold sent a message to the conference’s participants. “Mongolia has
established the diplomatic relations with almost all countries in the world,
and has become a partner of the NATO and a participating state of the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It means the Foreign
Policy Concept of Mongolia has been fulfilling its goals,” the message says.
An advisor to
the Foreign Ministry’s Department Professor G.Tomorchuluun gave the key report
with a topic “Analyzing the 1994 Foreign Policy Concept of Mongolia: The
Guideline of four Ds for modern foreign policy”.
Diagnosis center for western region to be upgraded
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) The cabinet meeting on Thursday decided to submit to
parliament a credit agreement for a project on empowering a local diagnostic
center.
This agreement
has been established between the governments of Mongolia and Belgium for a
project on upgrading the diagnosis and treatment center of western region to
continue between 2014 and 2016.
In frames of
the project, the local diagnostic center will be equipped with latest
facilities and medical doctors will be trained.
General Consulate of China opens in Zamyn-Uud
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) The General Consulate of the People’s Republic of China has
opened in Dornogobi aimag’s Zamyn-Uud soum.
The opening
ceremony took place on Thursday with participation of Mr D.Gankhuyag, the Vice
Minister of Foreign Affairs; and his counterpart of China Xie Hangsheng.
Present at the
ceremony were Wang Xiaolong, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of China to Mongolia; P.Gankhuyag, the governor of Dornogobi; N.Bataa, deputy
director of the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry; and other
officials.
This is the
very first General Consulate of China to open in Mongolia, and is the first
foreign diplomatic mission in Zamyn-Uud soum.
Stock exchange news for July 3
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades held Thursday, a total of 5,796
shares of 18 JSCs were traded costing MNT 10 million 928 thousand and 210.00.
"Remikon”
/3,702 units/, "Hai Bi Oil” /639 units/, "APU” /310 units/,
"Sharyn gol” /273 units/ and "Tavantolgoi” /248 units/ were the most
actively traded in terms of trading volume, in terms of trading
value--"Sharyn gol” (MNT one million 992 thousand and 900), "UB
hotel" (MNT one million and 800 thousand), "UB-BUK” (MNT one million
and 600 thousand), "Tavantolgoi” (MNT one million 215 thousand and 200)
and "APU” (MNT one million 131 thousand and 300).
The total
market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 573 billion 670 million 698
thousand and 143. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 15,474.79, increasing by MNT
114.39 or 0.74% against the previous day.
Mongolia welcomes third woman grandmaster
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) Mongolian chess player A.Enkhtuul (20) is to be officially
certified as a woman grandmaster during the 85th FIDE Congress in Tromso,
Norway on August 4-15.
Thus, she will
become the third Mongolian to achieve this high title after her country women
B.Mongontuul and T.Batchimeg.
E.Enkhtuul
earned FIDE titles of Woman Candidate Master in 2010, Woman FIDE Master in 2011
and Woman International Master in 2012. She is currently 180th at the rank of
world active women players.
Opera and Ballet Theater releases July program
Ulaanbaatar,
July 3 (MONTSAME) The Opera and Ballet Theater has released its programme for
this month which has an open air show themed ‘Best of Classic’ on Chinggis
Square this Sunday.
The program
also includes three ballets and three operas. On the second day of Naadam
festival (July 12), ‘Swan Lake’ by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be staged,
followed by well-known Mongolian opera ‘Three Dramatic Characters’ by
B.Damdinsuren and B.Smirnov on July 13.
At third
weekend of the month, the theater will present classic art-lovers ‘La Boheme’
opera by Giacomo Puccini, and ‘Choijid Tara’ ballet by E.Choidog.
The last two
performances of theater before opening again in October will be ‘Giselle’
ballet by Adolphe Adam, and ‘Chingis Khaan’ opera by B.Sharav on July 26-17.
“World known Mongolian folk art” grand performance
July 3
(news.mn) The “World known Mongolian folk art” grand performance by the State
National Song and Dance Academic Ensemble of Mongolia is dedicated to the
National holiday Naadam on the 93rd anniversary of the Mongolian People`s
Revolution. The State National Song and Dance Academic Ensemble of Mongolia
will stage the grand performance with a specific program including the best
spectacles of national folk art between July 5th and 15th.
The grand
performance will feature 62 dancers from the State contest for choreography,
named after People's Artist Ts.Sevjid, 53 musicians from the National music choir,
and 20 prominent singers including People`s Artist D.Sambuu, State Merit
Artist of Mongolia L.Chuluunchimeg, State Merit Artist of Mongolia
S.Erdenetsetseg, State Merit Artist of Mongolia N.Amgalan, State Merit Artist
of Mongolia D.Shirmentuya, Cultural leading figure B.Batmend, Cultural leading
figure D.Amarjargal and Cultural leading figure S.Tsogtsaikhan.
In addition,
the State National Song and Dance Academic Ensemble of Mongolia has been
performing the “Wonders of Mongolian Art” during the summer season at 6.00 pm
from June 15th.
Slow Economic growth plus rising inflation
July 3
(Mongolian Economy) Even though Mongolia’s economic growth rate rested at 12%
between 2010 and 2013, during the first quarter of this year, the economic
growth rate fell to 7.4%. This is consistent with national inflation levels
which rose to 13.7% last month compared to 12.4% in March. The inflation rate
of the city of Ulaanbaatar is 11.9%.
Food products
account for the majority of the nation’s inflation growth, in other words
60.5%. Of this inflation rate, bread, flour and rice make up 18.5%, meat makes
up 7.1% and milk and eggs make up another 11%. Alcoholic beverages, cigarettes
and other drinks total 4% of the inflation rate from food products. Clothing,
materials and shoes constitutes 9.3%, transportation is responsible for 8.2%,
private medical services make up 3.8% and public food services such as
restaurants and cafes add on another 7.1%.
By looking at
these rates, the consumer basket this month showed that 125 out of 329 product
prices rose, whereas 88 of these products and services showed diminishing
prices.
Government of Mongolia and Oyu Tolgoi LLC to Establish Agreement of Cooperation in Energy Sector in Southern Gobi Region
July 3
(infomongolia.com) On July 03, 2014, the Cabinet meeting was held and one of
the issues resolved was agreed to establish an Agreement of Cooperation between
the Government of Mongolia and Oyu Tolgoi LLC.
The Agreement
between the parties is “Cooperation in Energy Sector in Southern Region” and
entrusted to sign representing the Government of Mongolia by Minister of Energy
M.Sonompil and Chairman of Energy Regulation Committee S.Otgonbayar.
The Government
of Mongolia is proposing to develop the "Tavan Tolgoi Power Plant" mega
project, a 450 MW coal-fired power plant in the Tavan Tolgoi (TT) area and a related
distribution line of approximately 150 km from TT to the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine.
By constructing this strategically important energy distributor in southern
region of Mongolia, of which, OT is considered the main user of this power
plant and OT’s participation is great, the cooperation between the parties will
be regulated under this Agreement.
The TT is
located in the Tsogttsetsii sum of Umnugovi Aimag in the South Gobi region of
Mongolia, which is approximately 450 km south of Ulaanbaatar.
According to
the Investment Agreement established between the Government of Mongolia and
Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia Inc LLC and Ivanhoe Mines Ltd (now known as Turquoise
Hill Resources) and Rio Tinto International Holdings Limited in 2009, the Clause
7.3 cites the Investor shall, within 4 (four) years of Commencement of
Production, secure its total power requirements for the OT Project from one or
more of the following sources within Mongolia to be selected by the Investor:
7.3.1.
Coal-fired power plant developed or funded by the Investor;
7.3.2.
Coal-fired power plant developed or funded by a third party; or
7.3.3. The
Mongolian electricity grid;
Tavan Tolgoi Power Plant project
The Government
of Mongolia resolved to provide 50 million USD in the form of mezzanine
financing to the Project, and the final Government financing will not exceed
amount equaling 1/3 of equity amount of the Project.
The purpose of
the Project is to meet the power requirements of the Oyu Tolgoi (OT)
copper-gold mining project. OT wishes to secure all its power requirements from
Mongolia by early 2H 2017, as contemplated by the OT Investment Agreement with
the Government of Mongolia. OT is currently importing power from China.
Mongolia No Longer subject to Financial Action Task Force’s Monitoring Process
July 3
(infomongolia.com) Under the Russian Presidency, the third Financial Action
Task Force (FATF) Plenary meeting of FATF-XXV was held on Paris, France on June
25-27, 2014.
The main issues
of this FATF Plenary were issuing the Public Statement on jurisdictions with
strategic Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)
deficiencies; Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process -
Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which they have developed
an action plan with the FATF, as well as Receiving an update on AML/CFT
improvements in Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal and Tanzania.
Following the
meeting, the FATF welcomes Mongolia’s significant progress in improving its
AML/CFT regime and notes that Mongolia has established the legal and regulatory
framework to meet its commitments in its action plan regarding the strategic
deficiencies that the FATF had identified in June 2011. Mongolia is therefore
no longer subject to FATF’s monitoring process under its on-going global
AML/CFT compliance process. Mongolia will work with APG as it continues to
address the full range of AML/CFT issues identified in its mutual evaluation
report.
Improving
Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process, June 27, 2014 Paris, June 27, 2014
- As part of its on-going review of compliance with the AML/CFT standards, the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has to date identified the following
jurisdictions which have strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which they have developed
an action plan with the FATF. While the situations differ among each
jurisdiction, each jurisdiction has provided a written high-level political
commitment to address the identified deficiencies. The FATF welcomes these commitments.
A large number
of jurisdictions have not yet been reviewed by the FATF. The FATF continues to
identify additional jurisdictions, on an on-going basis, that pose a risk to
the international financial system.
The FATF and
the FATF-style regional bodies (FSRBs) will continue to work with the
jurisdictions noted below and to report on the progress made in addressing the
identified deficiencies. The FATF calls on these jurisdictions to complete the implementation
of action plans expeditiously and within the proposed timeframes. The FATF will
closely monitor the implementation of these action plans and encourages its
members to consider the information presented below.
Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Argentina
Cambodia
Cuba
Ethiopia
Iraq
Kuwait
Lao PDR
Namibia
Nicaragua
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New
Guinea
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
Turkey
Uganda
Yemen
Zimbabwe
Jurisdictions no longer subject to the
FATF's on-going global AML/CFT compliance process
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Mongolia
Nepal
Tanzania
Link
to article
Comments
Post a Comment