Mongolia Brief August 22, 2014 Part IV
MPs attend opening of Japanese-Mongolian calligraphy
exhibition
August 24 (UB
Post) For the 40th anniversary of Mongolian-Japanese cultural relations, the
joint calligraphy exhibition “Sky, Sun and Partnership” opened at Blue Moon Art
Gallery.
MP, Leader of
the DP, and Chairman of the Mongolian Japanese Parliamentary Group D.Erdenebat;
MP and Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism TS.Oyungerel; MP and
Minister of Education and Science L.Gantumur; MP and Minister of Foreign
Affairs L.Bold; and MPs Su.Batbold, S.Odontuya, M.Batchimeg and
B.Garamgaibaatar attended the opening of the exhibition.
The organizers
underline that the exhibition is unique, as the list of calligraphers includes
public figures such as Mongolian President Ts.Elbegdorj, PM N.Altankhuyag and
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
The exhibition
consists of almost 100 compositions and shows the scope of bilateral
partnership relations and symbols of the two nations’ friendship. Through
words, phrases and lines of poetry, the exhibition captures hopes for peace and
friendship through elegant Mongolian and Japanese calligraphy.
The Office of
Media and Public Relations of Parliament reports that the exhibition will be
organized in Japan in November.
Prime Minister attends aerocrete factory launch
August 24 (UB
Post) Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag gave a speech at the opening ceremony of a
lightweight concrete factory of Dorniin Tsas LLC.
The government
hopes to use domestic raw material to manufacture final products in Mongolia to
balance the foreign trade deficit of Mongolia.
Dorniin Tsas’s
new concrete factory has the capacity to produce 200,000 cubic meters of
aerocrete a year, which is approximately 30 percent of Mongolia’s demand.
Mongolia imports around 2,000-3,000 wagons of concrete from overseas a year.
“We have to
congratulate to Dorniin Tsas LLC for commencing a factory that is able to
produce 30 percent of the concrete demanded in the Mongolian market,” stated
the Prime Minister, during the opening.
N.Altankhuyag
also stressed that Mongolia’s infrastructure sector requires around 600 cubic
meters of concrete a year and now that Dorniin Tsas has opened its factory,
with the help of other domestic concrete producers such as MAC Company,
Mongolia can supply its own demand. “We can clearly see that Mongolia is
becoming a producer country,” he added.
The
construction work of the factory started in 2013. The factory owners said that
it is environmentally sustainable as it recycles water and will not produce
waste or fumes. Over 60 people will work at the factory, added the director of
Dorniin Tsas, A.Amartuvshin.
PM advisor L.Gansukh addressed letter to find out the truth
August 24 (UB
Post) Prime Minister’s advisor L.Gansukh was jailed in Tuv Province on July 29,
on suspicion of embezzling 3.6 billion MNT from a local coal project.
L.Gansukh wrote
a letter to the President of Mongolia, State General Prosecutor Office,
National Human Rights Commission and head of the Democratic Party.
“The
Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) defamed and blamed me for
embezzling billions of MNT from the ‘Coal’ project. The advisor’s position has
no right to make decisions on especially approving and spending money from the
budget. The company which advertized the project has no relevance to me and my
daughter. The IAAC is trying to connect two irrelevant bank accounts to
me,” he wrote in the letter.
“I have worked
in this project to manage and supervise the cooperation between the state
organizations and private companies, in accordance with the Minister ordered.
Commissioner Zoljargal of the IAAC gave verdict in accordance with the 273
Clause of the budget allocation and 150 Clause of the Criminal Code, and the
court sentenced me to two months in prison.”
He also
included information about the Coal project.
“Over 163
points for selling coal were established and contracted companies sold a ton of
coal for 80,000 MNT, adding all the cost, according to MGLSB LLC,” L.Gansukh
said.
“From 2013 to
2014, MGLSB LLC lent 800,000 million MNT from the state to pay taxes, bank
loans and preparation work for selling coal, which was issued by the state on
September, 2013. The company paid the debt separately in December 2013 and
February 2014. But the IAAC defamed me by claiming that I have taken all these
money for myself.”
“Within two
years of the Coal project, not a single tugrug was released from the state and
the project kept 50 billion MNT in the residents’ pockets,” he added.
L.Gansukh
claimed that the inspectors of the IAAC used many “dirty tricks”. He accused
the IAAC of spreading false information about him throughout the press media
and influencing to social psychology.
According to
the Prime Minister’s advisor, the commissioner of the IAAC called the advisor
to sign documents on July 29 and said it was unnecessary for him to call his
attorney on the day that L.Gansukh was jailed.
The
commissioner introduced many verdicts and lot of men forced him to be detained
for 16 hours, wrote L.Gansukh.
Financial losses from 106 revoked mining licenses to be
estimated
August 24 (UB
Post) Last year, 106 mineral exploration licenses determined to be improperly
granted by authorities, including former chairman of the Mineral Resource
Authority D. Batkhuyag, were revoked. Companies claiming to have lost huge
amounts of money in these projects due to the mistakes of state officials have
been asking the government, Parliament and relevant authorities to pay special
attention to the dispute and settle it without further damages for former
license holders. It was decided that the revoked licenses would be re-tendered
in amendments to the Minerals Law approved by the government in July.
Below is an interview with Chief of the
Policy Implementation Regulatory Agency of the Ministry of Mining, B.Batkhuu,
on the re-tendering process of the 106 licenses.
When will the previously revoked 106
licenses be re-tendered? Can you brief us on the process?
Prior to
opening tenders for the 106license areas, former license holders should have
the costs they invested analyzed and insured by our working group. An initial
re-tendering price will be determined on the basis of the cost insured, and
former license holders and other third parties will re-tender on a competitive
tender basis. Accordingly, the Ministry of Mining appointed a working group for
this project. As of today, 14 companies have had their initial re-tendering
prices determined and tendering for the areas is ready to be launched. Also,
the tendering will be announced through public media in accordance with the
relevant regulations.
Can you provide more details on the initial
tendering price?
The former
license holders don’t have to place any collateral in an account. However,
other third parties have to place 30 percent of the initial tendering price and
compete. An evaluation commission will evaluate all the proposals and grant licenses
to the selected bidders.
Does that mean the former license holders
will receive compensation whether they are selected or not?
According to
regulations, bidders will have a chance to compete for tender after placing 30
percent of the initial tendering price. If they are selected, they will have to
place the remaining 70 percent in the account. If a former license holder isn’t
selected, the cost the company previously invested will be returned. In other
words, compensation will be granted in either case. If a former license holder
is selected, the company can immediately continue its previous exploration
work.
Exactly when will the re-tendering begin?
In the first
round, re-tendering for areas where initial tendering prices are confirmed will
be announced through public media, and companies can gather the required
materials and send their proposals within 30 days, according to the relevant
law. Subsequently, the evaluation commission will evaluate the proposals and
rank them. The company with the highest score will be selected and notified. If
a new company is selected, the company will have to deposit the remaining 70
percent of the tendering price, and a license will be granted.
Mongol Bank signs new agreement with the People’s Bank of
China
August 24 (UB
Post) Governor of Mongol Bank N.Zoljargal and Governor of the People’s Bank of
China Zhou Xiaochuan signed a new agreement to expand bilateral currency swap
facilities from 10 billion CNY to 15 billion CNY, on August 21.
The new
agreement will take immediate effect and will be effective for three years.
Establishment of the new agreement annuls the previous 10 billion CNY bilateral
currency swap agreement established on May 6, 2011, and extended on May 14,
2014.
The expansion
of the currency swap agreement between Mongol Bank and the People’s Bank of
China is crucial in helping to provide liquidity and for maintaining the
stability of the financial market when necessary. The new agreement aims to
stimulate trade and investment between the two nations.
China has been
Mongolia’s largest trading partner and investor for the past 10 years, with
bilateral trade volume reaching 5.4 billion USD in 2013, and the CNY is the
second-most used currency for cross border payments between China and Mongolia.
According to
the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, CNY ranked as
the seventh most active currency for global payments and accounted for 1.55
percent of payments worldwide. It overtook the Euro to become the second-most
used currency in global trade finance after the U.S. dollar last year.
1000 miles across the west
By A. Oyunzul
August 24 (UB
Post) Every summer, residents of Ulaanbaatar head for countryside, to pay
homage to their fatherlands. Mongolians usually travel with their family and
friends. I travelled with my friend’s family to the west from July 28th
to August 5th.
Just before the
sunrise, our small team got into our car for a trip that we don’t know the
duration yet. Mongolians believe that planning ahead for a short-term travel is
bad luck. So while the city was still slumbering, we rode to the western part
of the city. Our destination: Zavkhan Province. It is located in the west side
of the country, named after the Zavkhan River. The province is in an awkward
location, and very few travelers are likely to pass through much or any part of
Zavkhan. But with our skilled driver Zoya, our trip would be smooth.
By afternoon,
we reached the capital of Arkhangai Province, Tsetserleg city. The main street
of Tsetserleg was bustling with cars from Ulaanbaatar; travelers stop by to get
fuel. Convenience stores are lined up one after another, and people are waiting
in queue in a bank. The local market is busy with shambling cars and people in
a rush. Driving around the city, you will find hotels, hospitals, schools, and
a movie theatre. A few decades later the city might become as populous as
Ulaanbaatar, as it gradually develops.
After an hour
drive, we came across the Chuluut River (stony river). It flows through
20m-deep steep canyon of basaltic rock, magma flew from the Khorgo volcano and
other volcanoes nearby, for about 100km from the river-mouth of Teel River till
Atsat River. Chuluut River is also renowned for its fishery.
Paved road also
ends here, though the road construction is still on the go, bumpy roads and
rocky hills wait for us. By 6 p.m. we passed Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake, also known
as White Lake. The lake is 16 kilometers wide, 4 to 10 meters deep, and 20
kilometers in length. The legend says the lake was formed when an elderly
couple forgot to cap a well after fetching water. The valley flooded with water
until a local hero shot a nearby mountain top with his arrow: the shorn top
covered with well and become an island in the lake. The lake was featured get
away location on CNN in 2011.
East of the
lake, lays the Khorgo volcano. As we drove through the volcanic rocks flew from
the mountain, our driver explained that there aren’t any lake in this crater,
but in the winter, clouds of steam jet out of its crevices forming ice mould.
And if you look from a distance, it looks like large flocks of sheep scattered
on the mountain.
Late in the
evening, we camped near the shore of a lake in a town of Tsakhir. Leader of our
team told us tomorrow’s destination will be Otgontenger Mountain. Ideally, we
were not planning to visit the mountain. But decided it will be a good
opportunity and getting there without someone who is familiar with the road is
difficult, as the mountain is quite a challenge to reach. So we slept with a
hope we will reach the sacred mountain by tomorrow evening.
We head out
early in the next morning. As I watched the scenery passes by, clouds and rocks
began to take forms of various animals. Like Dali’s paintings, giant dinosaur
rocks will lay silently as if they are in deep slumber, crocodile clouds
peering at you above the sky.
As we stopped
near the border of Otgon soum, we could see the faint Peak of Otgontenger
Mountain from miles away. According to our driver, the mountain doesn’t show
its peak to every traveler, hiding behind hills upon hills, a sign of good
luck. Temperature drops rapidly, and cold wind blows at every direction. Encouraged
by the view, we headed for the mountain as fast as we could. On the way, we
encountered some interesting architecture of nature, such as the rock with a
hole in it that looks like a giant chopping knife, and a rocky castle.
Because one of
our members injured her hand, we stop at a local nomadic family for bandages
and horses, as you have to trek by horse to the mountain. Dealt with the family
for 30000 MNT per horse, horses will arrive tomorrow morning near the mountain.
Few miles down
the road, we came into the Otgontenger strictly protected area. At 8 p.m. we
had finally reached the main gate, which is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The
sacred mountain was covered in mist and clouds at its mystery. As if to
illuminate the fact that we are in the presence of the highest peak of Khangai
Mountains, cold wind blows through the high pressed air. When the night comes,
I sit on top of the hill as a starland of whorls, clouds, and pinpricks cover
somber darkness. There are no sign of life beside our tents, its silence so
deep you could only hear the wind noise. We slept until sunrise.
The sun shines
upon the mountain. The sky is clear without a trace of clouds. Perfect day for
a pilgrimage. Otgontenger is the highest peak of Khangai Mountains range, the
only mountain that is capped with a glacier, and its height is considered to be
3905m.
It is one of
the nine state-worshipped mountains in Mongolia. Worshipping these mountains
began during Khunnu times, and this tradition continues today. Every four
years, President of Mongolia will pay homage to the mountain, and travelers
come from every direction of the country.
Inside the
gate, statue of Ochirvaani Bodhisattva (Vajrapāói), the deity of Otgontenger
Mountain, stands tall on a hill. Many sacred mountains in Mongolia are said to
have ferocious deities. After saying our prayers, we drove for the bridge, a
place where our horses will arrive. The wooden bridge is over a small river.
Originating from the sacred mountain itself, the water tastes sweeter than any
mineral water in supermarkets. Also, Mongolians believe that washing your feet
in a cold river is good for health.
Once, on a
slope of the mountain, we offered our oblations (fresh milk and candies) and
prayed for our family, health, success, anything good you wish. According to
tradition, only men are permitted to go to downhill of Otgontenger and women
have to stay behind. So men on our team head over to the lake that is right
before the mountain, Badarkhundaga. Mongolians have a tradition to offer their
silver bowls and silver-works to the lake, wishing for good luck in the future.
Around the mountain, saussurea, juniper, Large Pink, liquorice, roseroots, and
400 other medicinal herbs grow. Trekking with a horse will take up an hour to
reach, and the guys arrived to their cars over two hours later. The wife of the
gamekeeper said, “All kinds of people come here every summer, politicians,
businessmen, and tourists. Some tourists will camp here for a week to take a
photo. Sometimes, one minute the sky was clear, and then a few moments’ later
clouds will loom over the mountain, making it impossible to take a photo. And
for some people, the mountain will show its peak without any trouble.”
According to her, we were fortunate enough to see the mountain in its full view.
As we departed, I kept looking back at the spectacular view that every
Mongolian wishes to see. It was definitely one of the highlight of our journey.
Next on the journey; Uliastai city, Lake
Khar, and Kharkhorum city
Sage advice for allergy season
August 24 (UB Post) With the change in
seasons, people across the country suffer from plant allergies. We spoke with
Dr. S.Yanjmaa, a dermatologist and allergy specialist with the National
Dermatology Center about allergens and treating symptoms.
Plant
allergies get worse at this time of year. Can you tell us why?
Allergic
diseases are called development diseases, because allergies are connected to
urbanization, industrialization, and population density. Allergies are not only
a Mongolian issue, they affect the whole world. Allergies are divided into two
groups: allergens that are inhaled and those that affect the skin. Inhaled
allergens are sensitive to the seasons.
The number of
people who are allergic to pollen and dust increases during the warm season.
Woody plant allergies start from the middle of April to the beginning of June,
segmented plant allergies begin from June 1 to the end of July, and weed
allergies start in the middle of July.
Skin prick
testing has to be done in order to know what types of allergies you have, but
this test is prohibited for some people, such as pregnant women, breastfeeding
mothers, and children. After taking the test, doctors will give
instructions on what medicines have to be taken.
Unfortunately,
people buy medicines and drops from the pharmacy without receiving any advice
from doctors. This causes negative effects in medical treatment and some
difficulties. So, patients have to take advice from professional doctors.
What steps
have to be followed to avoid allergy symptoms?
This issue is a
really broad concept. City improvement organizations and residents have to
cooperate to avoid allergies. For instance, the proper trees and shrubs have to
be planted, and weed elimination has to start before July 1, because
extinguishing weeds after they’ve flowered leads to more people experiencing
allergy symptoms, and they can’t be prevented. Doctors advise avoiding the
elimination of weeds after they’ve flowered.
You mentioned
that a skin test is not available for children. So, in this case, what measures
should be taken?
First of all,
parents must warn their children not to play in or pick up grass and plants.
Also, children have to avoid carbonated beverages, yellow-colored beverages and
fruits, spicy plants and flavoring.
Naphazoline
nose drops are frequently used in the treatment of allergies. Is this a good
choice?
Even though
these drops treat blocked nasal passages, it narrows blood vessels in the nose,
and after prolonged use it negatively effects mucus production. The
following symptoms can arise: loss of sense of smell, bloody noses and sneezing
without the influence of allergens.
How many
kinds of weeds exist in Mongolia?
Over 50
wormweeds exist in our country and put city residents at risk for allergies.
Most of our patients are under 40. This year, drastic reactions to plant
allergies have been few, but there are a number of people who have drastic
reactions to sun exposure. People have to protect themselves from the sun very
well, but in the city, protection from dust is really difficult even if people
wear masks. A campaign to eliminate weeds has to be conducted in the future.
Is this true
that allergies can become asthma when they get worse?
If an allergy is
treated incorrectly or isn’t treated for a long time, it can become asthma.
People use
grasshopper remedies and smell burning weeds. Are these reliable methods to
treating allergy symptoms?
There are
naturally occurring chemical substances in grasshoppers and it has been
observed that using a grasshopper remedy can be useful if patients use it
before an allergy breaks out.
But burning
weeds and smelling them causes more difficulties.
How are
allergies treated in Mongolia?
One standard is
used all over the world. A more suitable treatment is antioxidants used for
treating allergy symptoms and drops used based on a patient’s condition.
Does a poor
immune system experience more allergies?
An allergy is
created from the immune system’s excessive reaction to an allergen. A more
activated immune system can aggravate a patient’s condition. Even though
a poor immune system can be the basis of all pains, it can be accelerated by an
allergy. The most important thing for balancing the immune system is a healthy
environment, food and relaxation.
Can you
suggest anything else for our readers?
Vitamins can be
used before allergy symptoms have risen, but they are unnecessary when symptoms
have already broken out. When the warm season comes, people’s diets change.
Mongolians consume excessive amounts of airag and vodkas. These irritate
allergies. Consuming healthy food and practicing relaxation are essential to
healing allergies.
Source: http://mnb.mn/v/29233
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