Mongolia Brief July 25, 2014 Part II

Poetry Reciting Festival "Tulga" to Be Held among Mongolians in USA

July 25 (infomongolia.com) The annual poetry reciting festival "Tulga" among Mongolians in USA will be held in Los Angeles for 2 days on coming August 2nd and August 3rd, 2014.

That will be the 4th poetry reciting festival among Mongolians in USA which includes two main phases with the "Poetry Reciting Contest" and the "Jubilee of Thousand Books - Inspirational Show for Writers and Readers".

The “Poetry Reciting Contest” will take place at 3pm in the Garden Suite Hotel & Resort (address: 681 S.Western Ave. Los-Angeles CA 90005) on August 2nd in which 19 reciters from the Mongolians in USA will compete to recite selective lyric poems and most expressive novelettes from the anthology of the Mongolian traditional literature.

The “Jubilee of Thousand Books - Inspirational Show for Writers and Readers” will be held at 7pm on August 3rd at the location address: 3020 Wilshire blvd #150 Los-Angeles CA 90010.

The State Merit Artist, TV News Presenter and Outstanding Master of Poetry Recitation J.Batbayar, the Writer and Poet, the Laureate of the Mongolian Writers' Union Prize B.Sarantuya will attend in this year’s event from Mongolia at the invitation of the organizers of the upcoming annual poetry reciting festival.

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Mongolia Eliminated from East Asian Cup 2015

July 25 (infomongolia.com) According to the fixed schedule, the Mongolian National Football Team had played against Macau but lost 2:3 on July 25th and Mongolia has been eliminated from the preliminary competition Round 1 of the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015.

The same group competitors’ match was also held same day as scheduled between Guam and North Mariana Islands and Guam took its’ second lead by 3:0 and the Guam National Football Team moved up to the preliminary competition Round 2 of EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 with overall 7 points advantage.

At its’ first match, the Mongolian National Team won the North Mariana Islands by 4:0 but lost 0:2 at the second match against the host nation Guam and again lost 2:3 against Macau on yesterday’s match.

So, Mongolia stood at the third row with 3 points in the group standings and finished its’ competition in the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015.

The preliminary competition Round 2 of the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015 will take place on coming November in Taiwan through which the host nation Taiwan will compete against Guam, North Korea and Hong-Kong national teams in the same group stage.

The winner of the preliminary competition Round 2 will get the notable advantage moving to the final competition round to compete against China, South Korea and Japan. The final round will be held in the People’s Republic of China in July 2015 and the winner will become the Champion of the EAFF East Asian Cup 2015.

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Student-soldier project begins

July 27 (UB Post) The student-soldier project was initiated by Mongolian President Ts. Elbegdorj and 418 freshmen student-soldiers from 42 institutes and universities have joined the program. Student-soldiers were called for military service on June 16, and they will finish serving in the armed forces on August 15.

Within two months, they will be transferred to the 119th military unit and participate in 560 hours of lessons including tactics, military rules, physical training, marching in formation, military communications training, engineering, weaponry, survival, and fire fighting.

Student-soldiers said, “serving in the military gives us the chance to understand and know what we have not ever known, and we are learning many things here.”

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Byant-Ukhaa 1 District housing auction delayed

July 27 (UB Post) The second round of bidding for properties at the newly constructed Buyant Ukhaa 1 District was originally scheduled for July 25, at 3:00 PM, but was delayed due to numerous requests from a pool of 323 potential bidders. Buyant Ukhaa 1 District will provide housing for 1,764 families.

The National Housing Corporation, which was responsible for construction of the project, announced that potential bidders requested that the scheduled date be delayed as, “a lot of people are on their summer vacation, and it is not possible to take part in the bidding process.” As a result of these requests, the National Housing Corporation decided to delay the date of the auction.

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Former Mayor receives prison time for illegal privatization

July 27 (UB Post) The trial of former Ulaanbaatar City Mayor Ts.Batbayar and three other state officials accused of the abuse of authority and massive financial losses for the state through the illegal privatization of state properties took place on Tuesday.

The court sentenced Ts.Batbayar, who was also Chief of the Property Privatization Commission at the same time he was mayor, to two years in a maximum security prison, while former Chief of the Ulaanbaatar City Council T.Bilegt was found guilty of illegal privatization by the court but didn’t receive a prison sentence after consideration of the Amnesty Law of Mongolia.

Chief of the Property Privatization Division at the Ulaanbaatar Property Relations Agency G.Manaljav and Ts.Batbayar’s younger sibling, Ts.Chantsal, were acquitted.

The Independent Authority Against Corruption and Ulaanbaatar City Prosecutors Office found during an investigation that Ts.Batbayar abused his authority. He transferred the 605 million MNT ownership of Urgoo, an Ulaanbaatar-owned hotel, to Khar Dun LLC, owned by former President of Mongolia N.Enkhbayar’s son E.Batshugar. Afterwards, Khar Dun became a subsidiary of N.Enkhbayar’s Eskon LLC.

Ts.Batbayar is also accused of privatizing the Ulaanbaatar-owned Recovery Treatment Clinical Hospital, valued at 779 million MNT, at the far cheaper price of 256 million MNT to his younger
sibling Ts.Chantsal, with the help of G.Manaljav.

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President Ts.Elbegdorj’s economic development meetings in Japan

July 27 (UB Post) Mongolian President Ts.Elbegdorj paid a working visit to Japan from July 21 to 24, and met the leader of the Mongolia-Japan Friendship Group, Satsuki Eda, at the House of Councillors on July 23. Eda spoke of continuing the enhancement of inter-parliamentary relations. The Japanese side offered its full support in all aspects and noted the importance of the newly signed Mongolia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.

The next meeting that day was with the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, Heita Kawakatsu. Businesses of Shizuoka Prefecture, famous for being home to Mt. Fuji, cooperate with Mongolia in many sectors. Since there are many processing plants in the prefecture, economic cooperation has increased in the last few years. In the meeting, the two parties discussed Mongolia’s personnel and engineer training issues in the coal industry. They also explored the possibility of connecting local authorities of Mongolia to governors of other prefectures in Japan.

Later that afternoon, President Elbegdorj received the Vice President of the Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) and Head of the Japan-Mongolia Culture and Economic Committee, Naohiko Ito.
The FEC undertakes surveys for enhancing economic cooperation within the region, organizes training and meetings with representatives from the public and private sector of certain countries to discuss issues related to economy, cultural relations and partnership.

President Ts.Elbegdorj said that advertisements informing the people of both countries about the ample opportunities which will become available through the Economic Partnership Agreement are essential.

He also expressed his faith that cooperation with the FEC will be fruitful for conducting joint research, projects and work.

Afterwards, President Elbegdorj received the President of Nikkei Group, Tsuneo Kita. Kita invited President Elbegdorj to the annual Future of Asia conference. The conference attracts heads of state and governments of Asian countries, as well as famous politicians, scientists and representatives from international economic organizations including the International Monetary Fund.

Later, President Elbegdorj gave an interview to the Japanese newspaper, Nikkei Weekly.

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Turkey and Mongolia renew military cooperation

July 27 (UB Post) From July 19 to 23, the State Secretary of the Mongolian Ministry of Defense, Major General Z.Boldbaatar, visited the Republic of Turkey. The two countries’ defense ministries reviewed the performance of their cooperation and defined future initiatives.

Major General Z.Boldbaatar expressed his willingness to cooperate in all fields of the Mongolian military and increase the number of military personnel training in Turkey, and submitted the salutations of the Mongolian Minister of Defense. Major General Z.Boldbaatar let the Turkish representatives know that two of the 150 officials trained in Turkey have attained the rank of General.

The acting head of Technology and Planning of the Ministry of Defense in Turkey, Brigadier General Mustafa Avji, received the Mongolian delegates and took them on a tour to explain and provide information about the organization of Turkey’s defense ministry and other cooperating agencies of the ministry.

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Mongolia included in Canada’s Countries of Focus

July 27 (UB Post) On July 24, Minister of Economic Development N.Batbayar received Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird, who is visiting Mongolia at the invitation of Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs L.Bold.

The first topic discussed in the meeting was about how Mongolia has been added to the list of countries selected for official development assistance from the Government of Canada. Every five years, the Canadian government selects 20 to 25 developing countries for the list of Development Countries of Focus, in order to provide international development assistance. One week ago, the Canadian government officially announced the 25 countries chosen for assistance and cooperation and Mongolia was chosen for the first time.

Every year, the Canadian government dedicates most of its international development assistance to the countries included in the list. Around 80 percent of Canada’s total available funds for international assistance, namely 5.2 billion USD, was given to 20 countries designated in Canada’s 2009 list. The 25 countries for this list are expected to receive around 90 percent of the total available international assistance over the next five years.

Asian countries included in the 2014 list of Development Countries of Focus:

1. Afghanistan
2. Bangladesh
3. Indonesia
4. Mongolia
5. Burma
6. Philippines
7. Vietnam

The most pressing topic of discussion with Minister Baird was related to mutually beneficial economic cooperation. Minister N.Batbayar listed the similarities that Mongolia and Canada share, including climate and soil structure, as well as the fact that both countries have vast lands with a sparse population. He said that these traits are the biggest incentives for working together for mutual economic benefit. The Mongolian side expressed that the best export that Mongolia can supply to Canada is household heating material made from Mongolian wool. In response, Baird noted that this proposal should be put into effect, and added that it’s also possible to trade cashmere products.
As for Mongolia, the technology of highways being constructed with funds from the Chinggis Bond has been approved to be carried out according to Canadian standards. The Minister of Economic Development reported that buildings using Canada’s housing frame technology are popular in Mongolia and proposed working together on building an apartment district using the technology.

Furthermore, he expressed his desire to cooperate on localizing Canadian technology in ger district engineering infrastructure, underground facility development, roads, and construction standards. Baird was satisfied with the proposals and agreed that the respective ministries of both countries, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Ministry of Trade and Development, as well as the Mongolian Ministry of Economic Development, should begin cooperation to put the discussed ideas into action soon.

According to data from October 2013, a total of 136 companies with specialized or joint venture capital from Canada have been operational since 1990, and have made direct investments worth 3.53 percent of Mongolia’s total received investment, equivalent to over 498 million USD. Canada ranks sixth in foreign countries making investments in Mongolia. Specifically, 89.15 percent of Canada’s investments went to geology, mineral exploration and the mining sector; 1.76 percent to banking and financing; and 8.2 percent to trade and catering.

According to financial data from 2013, Mongolia exported products worth 135.5 million USD to Canada, and imported Canadian cars, equipment, and parts valued at 80.3 million USD.

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Labor Minister works in Dundgobi Province

July 27 (UB Post) Minister of Labor and MP Ya.Sanjmyatav is continuing his appointment to work in rural areas. He’s now working in Gobisumber, Dornogobi, Umnugobi, and Dundgobi provinces.

During his time in Dundgovi Province, he reviewed labor department activities as well as employment at small and medium-sized enterprises. He also attended a trade fair of small and medium-sized enterprises.

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UB’s drinking water source threatened by poor sewage system of Urgakh Naran town

July 27 (UB Post) A total of 432 households in Urgakh Naran apartment town in 11th khoroo of Bayanzurkh District have been living in contaminated environment for a while as Blue Sky Partners LLC, the company responsible for sewage management of the apartment town, hasn’t been fulfilling its duties.

The town is not connected to central sewer pipelines and Ulaanbaatar authorities have issued a budget every year for the disposal of the town’s sewage and disinfecting soil in the neighborhood caused by accumulated sewage.

The Ulaanbaatar City Specialized Inspection Agency (UCSIA) took sample from the town’s soil and a research showed soil pollution has exceeded the permitted level in nine hectares of land at Urgakh Naran.

The sewage of the town is not only polluting its neighborhood but also contaminating air and soil of the surrounding area where Ulaanbaatar’s drinking water sources and pipes are located.

The UCSIA has sent demands to Blue Sky Partners LLC several times to attend to the current issue and fulfill its function but has received no reply. Therefore the UCSIA has proposed to Ulaanbaatar authorities to temporarily halt water and power distribution to Urgakh Naran in order to conduct a complex project on reducing soil and air pollution in the area.

Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar City S.Bataa visited the town and promised to launch the project if current sanitary issues are not resolved by September 15.

A spokesperson for Blue Sky Properties explained, “The reason that Urgakh Naran is still not connected to central lines is that sanitary pipelines passing the town have not been completed yet.” The company pledged to solve the problem before September 15.

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