Mongolia Brief July 8, 2014 Part III



Bills submitted to parliament on joining some Conventions
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) The Minister of Justice Kh.Temuujin MP Tuesday submitted to the Speaker Z.Enkhbold draft laws on ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICCPED) and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).

The ICCPED is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations and intended to prevent forced disappearance defined in international law, crimes against humanity. This is one of the vital international documents related to protecting human rights out of the national laws of Mongolia, thus it must be ratified by Mongolian parliament in accordance with the Mongolia’s law on international contracts.
Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2002, the OPCAT is a treaty that supplements to the 1984 United Nations Convention Against Torture. It establishes an international inspection system for places of detention modeled on the system that has existed in Europe since 1987 (the Committee for the Prevention of Torture).
The bill on joining the OPCAT bears one article. Furthermore, draft amendments to some laws on the National Commission for Human Rights, on implantation of court decisions, on arresting suspects and defendants, on criminal procedure and on the Takhar Service (equivalent to Marshal Service of USA) have been formulated in conjunction with the bill on joining the OPCAT.

FM meets Italy’s Secretariat General of Defense
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Mr L.Bold Tuesday met Lieutenant-General Enzo Stefanini, the Secretariat-General of Defence of Italy, who is visiting Mongolia these days.
Noting that Mongolia and Italy have a history of ancient ties, the Foreign Minister said Mongolia aspires to develop the cooperation with Italy in frames of the “Third Neighborhood” policy.
In response, Mr Stefanini expressed a satisfaction with an intensive development of the Mongolia-Italy relations including the defense collaboration, and said he will closely cooperate with Ministers of his country’s cabinet in realizing the issues discussed during the visit.

Premiers hold official talks
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) The Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag hold Tuesday official talks with his counterpart of Kyrgyzstan Mr Djoomart Otorbaev in the State House.
After that, the two Premiers called a press-conference.
The visit of the Kyrgyzstan Premier opens a new page in the cooperation history of the two countries, Mr Altankhuyag said. During the talks, he went on, they promised mutual supports in developing the parliamentary democracy in the two countries, talked about Kyrgyzstan's learning Mongolia's experience in civil registration, election system and deliverance of public services. They also agreed to boost the economic relations and then shared views on mutual exports opportunities, especially of wool and cashmere products from Mongolia to Kyrgyzstan, and of sugar and berries vice versa.
Experiences of Mongolia in developing the democracy helps Kyrgyzstan set the parliamentary democracy, said Mr Otorbaev. The two countries have great cooperation opportunities ahead, particularly in mining, animal husbandry and tourism, he added.

Speaker receives Kyrgyzstan PM
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) The Chairman of the State Great Khural (parliament) Z.Enkhbold Tuesday received visiting Mr Djoomart Otorbaev, the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan.
The Speaker expressed a satisfaction with boosting of the Mongolia-Kyrgyzstan relations and with regularizing of mutual visits and meetings. He said Mongolia intends to activate the bilateral relations and cooperation including the inter-parliamentary ties, and considers Kyrgyzstan as its important partner in Central Asia. He underlined an importance of ties between the parliamentary groups and of mutual visits.
Our countries can collaborate in the tourism sector and chances to co-organize cultural events and to cooperate in preserving and propagandizing the nomadic culture, he said. 
Mr Enkhbold thanked Kyrgyzstan for voting for Mongolia’s Minister of Environment and Green Development at the United Nations Environment Assembly Election. He said the two countries are nominated at the 2015 election of the UN Human Rights Council and supported each other.
In turn, Mr Otorbaev expressed thanks to the Speaker for the audience and introduced to him accompanying him delegates. Then the sides exchanged views on the bilateral relations and cooperation.
Mr Enkhbold conveyed his greetings to the Speaker of Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Council (parliament).

Bill on public hearing submitted
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) A head of the Presidential Office P.Tsagaan and an advisor to the President on human rights and legal policy Ch.Onorbayar Tuesday submitted to parliament a draft law on public hearing.
Noting that the Smart Government means democratic principle as well as a responsibility, Mr Tsagaan emphasized that the bill on public hearing aims to ensure a civil participating in the management of state such as formulating, approving and realizing state policies and decisions. "This is the very first bill about ensuring people’s participation in working out state policies and decisions," he said.
The public hearing is divided into several types. The legislative hearing is for the public when lawmakers are working out laws. Other kinds are dedicated to general monitoring, investigative actions, budgets, localities and appointment by the draft law. 

Report details MNT 50 billion investment in Mongolian development
July 8 (Oyu Tolgoi) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Oyu Tolgoi today released its 2013 Sustainable Development Report, detailing more than MNT50 billion of investment in development programmes, targeted schemes and social investment projects in the South Gobi and across Mongolia.
The report, Sustainable Development Report 2013, features a full breakdown of programmes and expenditure focusing on safety and health, environmental protection, regional and community development, education and training, and economic development.
Speaking about the report launch, Oyu Tolgoi President and CEO, Craig Kinnell, said: “To us, ‘sustainability’ means investing in – and supporting – the communities and environment where we operate. In other words, managing our impact carefully, contributing positively to the social fabric of Mongolia, acting with integrity, and helping to strengthen the wider economy of which we are a central part.
“As a business, which will last for more than 50 years, we recognise that we have to earn the trust of our neighbours in the South Gobi. It is understandable that they have high expectations from Oyu Tolgoi and it is for us to prove our commitment to them. These reports, which will be published annually, will help to show our progress.”
Significant highlights of the report include:
ü  A better-than-target safety record for the year.
ü  Investment in improving the health of employees with long-term health conditions.
ü  Water use which averaged less than half the global average for copper-gold mines, with an 84 per cent recycling rate.
ü  Further expansions to our collaborative monitoring programmes, where Oyu Tolgoi works with local herders to monitor the environmental impact of the mine.
ü  Connection of Khanbogd to a permanent power supply and continued engagement to develop a long-term master plan for the town’s development.
ü  Support for a series of NGO-led projects to create a tangible and long-lasting impact on economic and social development in the South Gobi and nationally.
ü  Completion of the three year National Workforce Programme, with a total of 13,500 previously unemployed Mongolians benefiting from the scheme.
ü  More than MNT820 billion spent on procurement within Mongolia, and a 78 per cent increase in procurement spend in the South Gobi.
In future years, Oyu Tolgoi will continue to produce Sustainable Development Reports which will be published online, at ot.mn.

Mongolian officials learn more about preferential rules of origin with help from UNCTAD and Japan
July 7 (UNCTAD) UNCTAD, together with Japan’s customs authorities, conducted a national seminar on preferential rules of origin in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 9-11 June.
The seminar brought together 20 officials involved in the certification and verification of preferential rules of origin, as well as representatives taking part in the ongoing negotiations over the Japan-Mongolia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
This EPA is the first reciprocal preferential trade agreement to be concluded in Mongolia. Officials in the country expressed their wish to enhance their understanding of preferential rules of origin. Mongolia is a beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)strengthening the knowledge on the GSP rules of origin is desirable. Failure to comply with preferential rules of origin can result in commercial losses for both importers and exporters, adequate application of rules is therefore important for all stakeholders.
The seminar aims to address the concerns of the Mongolian officials, build their capacity, and provide an opportunity to discuss with participants a wide range of issues, including the concept and management of preferential rules of origin, organizational matters with respect to customs management, and the implications of origin rules on development.
Various sessions of the seminar were delivered by the Customs General Administration of Mongolia (CGA), the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), and representatives of UNCTAD and Japan Customs, addressing substantive and procedural aspects of preferential rules of origin used for the existing EPAs with Japan and the GSP. The seminar devoted substantial time to examples and exercises in determining origins and managing customs operations. Participants enthusiastically engaged in the seminar.
Officials from the CGA and the MNCCI, as well as those from the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Industry and Agriculture of Mongolia, participated in the seminar.
The seminar was jointly organized by UNCTAD and Japan Customs in cooperation with the CGA and the MNCC under UNCTAD's trust fund project "Assistance to countries of the Asian region on MFN and preferential tariff negotiations and GSP utilization". The Government of Japan financed the project.

Stock exchange news for July 8
Ulaanbaatar, July 8 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades held Tuesday, a total of 84 thousand and 229 shares of 25 JSCs were traded costing MNT 34 million 098 thousand and 705.00.
"Genco tour bureau” /30 thousand units/, "Khokh gan” /15 thousand and 238 units/, "Remikon” /13 thousand and 709 units/, "Hai Bi Oil” /9,087 units/ and "E-trans logistics” /6,290 units/ were the most actively traded in terms of trading volume, in terms of trading value--"APU” (MNT seven million 244 thousand and 900), "Hai Bi Oil" (MNT three million 543 thousand and 930), "Genco tour bureau” (MNT two million 649 thousand and 899), "State Department Store” (MNT two million 445 thousand and 938) and "Tavantolgoi” (MNT two million 377 thousand and 500).
The total market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 679 billion 324 million 541 thousand and 916. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 16,580.60, increasing by MNT 600.16 or 3.76% against the previous day.
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