Mongolia Brief September 12, 2014 Part II

O.Burmaa wins bronze at 2014 Wrestling World Championships

The 2014 Wrestling World Championships-Women's Freestyle continues in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
On Thursday, winners in the women's freestyle 53 kg, 58 kg and 75 kg events were named.

Mongolian State Merit Athlete O.Burmaa seized bronze in the 75 kg event, defeating Columbia's Andrea Olaya 3:0. This is her third medal from the Wrestling World Championships.

The Mongolian freestyle national team has claimed gold and three bronze medals at the 2014 Wrestling World Championships.

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Related:

O.Burmaa Wins Bronze Medal in World Championship – Montsame, September 12

Russia and China express support for Mongolia to join APEC

September 12 (news.mn) The first meeting between Mongolia, Russia and China's current leaders was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on September 11th.

This is the first-ever meeting between the current leaders of the three neighboring countries.

President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj proposed holding the three-party meeting between Mongolia, Russia and China, in May.

This year is described as a pleasant year for relations between three neighboring countries. In the last six months, foreign relations between the three countries have been given a new, specific outlook. President Ts.Elbegdorj opened the meeting saying, “Today, we have arrived here to talk about holding a high level Ulaanbaatar Dialogue between Mongolia, Russia and China, with aims to expand mutually beneficial three-party cooperation.” President Ts.Elbegdorj explained the factors of his proposal to initiate the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue.

President Ts.Elbegdorj proposed the principles for Ulaanbaatar Dialogue: to hold it in Ulaanbaatar every three years; make the dialogue open to public; be consistent with the common principles of bilateral relations between the three countries; discuss and resolve questions raised by all sides, in particular, transit transport running through the territory of the three countries; and regional and infrastructure issues.

President Ts.Elbegdorj also suggested an agreement on the following issues with his two counterparts in Dushanbe.

The suggested proposals are a move to reach a decision on Mongolia's proposal for the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue to intensify progress in the implementation of an  intergovernmental agreement on railway transit transport between Mongolia, China and Russia, which was signed during recent visits to Mongolia by China's President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and to hold a task force meeting between the three parties to study opportunities to lay natural gas pipelines through Mongolia's territory, in Ulaanbaatar this year.

President Ts.Elbegdorj also asked for support from the two neighbors for Mongolia to join APEC, during a summit in Beijing in November, and proposed conducting a ministerial meeting for foreign affairs ministers every two years in preparation for the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue.

China's President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin expressed gratitude for the initiation of the three-party meeting. China's President Xi Jinping emphasized that bilateral cooperation between the three countries has convened and said, "a good start is half of success."  Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciated Mongolia's proposal. Mongolia, Russia and China's leaders agreed to move from bilateral economic relations towards trilateral cooperation. Russia and China also expressed support for Mongolia to join APEC.

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Digital science library opens at National University Mongolia

September 12 (news.mn) A foundation stone laying ceremony for a digital science library at National University of Mongolia was held today. Minister for Education and Science L.Gamtumur and President of National University of Mongolia A.Galtbayar were present at the ceremony.

Building the e-library will provide opportunities for students to display exhibitions, new book release events, scientific study events, and conduct research projects with partnerships with a variety of academic disciplines.

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Deputy Prime Minister attends World Economic Forum

September 12 (news.mn) The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2014, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, opened in Tianjin, China, on September 10th.

Deputy Prime Minister D.Terbishdagva delivered a speech representing Mongolia at the forum. The Deputy Prime Minister noted, “World Bank studies suggest that Mongolia is the fastest growing economy, and practicing a multiple-party system, among post-communist countries. In recent years, Mongolia has seen rapid development in the mining industry. Currently, Mongolia counts 20 percent of GDP as mineral exports. This is twice as high as the rate was a decade ago. Mongolia's economic growth reached 6.4 percent in 2010 and 12.5 percent in 2013. The figure seems like it will rise in double digits for 2013 through 2017.

"Mongolia's indicators for the population's education, poverty, income and expenditure are seen as positive.

"Even though Mongolia's economy is mostly based on agriculture, there has been rapid development in industry and the mining sector in recent years.

"Mongolia focuses on maintaining economic growth for the long term, building more social capital for itself, and creating a multiple-pillar economy.

"However, Mongolia experienced difficult challenges in 2014. There is a predicted view that we would keep double digit economic growth, and even see a rise of 11 percent.

"There are more positive indicators that Mongolia's index ranking for a convenient business environment moved up four places and the corruption index moved ahead 11 places. Mongolia has bigger goals.”

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Speech by President Ts.Elbegdorj at First Formal Trilateral Meeting between Heads of State of Mongolia, Russia and China

September 12 (infomongolia.com) On September 11, 2014, the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj arrived in Tajikistan to attend the 14th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and on the same day the first ever trilateral meeting between the heads of state of Mongolia, Russia and China was held in Dushanbe.

In the scope of the meeting, President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj addressed the State Head of People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and other officials who were present at the first formal meeting between the heads of state of Russia, China and Mongolia.

In his speech, President of Mongolia Tsakhia ELBEGDORJ said, “Thank you very much for attending this three-party meeting being organized upon the initiation of Mongolia. First of all, on behalf of Mongolian people and on my own, I would like to express profound gratitude to the State Head of People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for their recent visits to Mongolia.

To emphasize here again, the high-level visits of the heads of state of our two neighbors to Mongolia conducted last August and September were very constructive and timely historical visits.

Today, we have gathered to discuss on organizational issue of top-level “Ulaanbaatar Meeting” between Mongolia, the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, which is aimed to develop and expand our mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation.

Mongolia’s proposal on hosting the trilateral meeting between the heads of state in Ulaanbaatar is considered on the following factors:

One. Mongolia adheres to develop the friendly neighbor policy with the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China as the top priorities. There are primarily issues exist to negotiate and solve by three parties as we bordered with long territories, particularly, concerning issues related to infrastructure and transit transportation.

Two. Mongolia is the only landlocked country bordered with Russia and China in terms of its geographical position and is available to have an outlet to the sea through the territories of the neighboring countries.

Three. Mongolia deems itself a shortest and key transit infrastructure for Russia by the means of exit from Europe to Asia and for China as an outlet from Asia to Europe.

Based on these three factors, the following principles are outlined on organizing the trilateral high-level meeting in Mongolia.

- Regularly host the three-party meeting in the capital city of Mongolia in every three years.

- This meeting is open to the public and to be consistent with the common principles of cooperation between the three states.

- The three parties shall discuss and resolve issues of its interests, in particular, the transit transportation and infrastructure passing the three territories as well as issues concerning regional affairs.

These initiations were forwarded to the State Head of China Xi Jinping and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin during their recent visits to Mongolia. Today, it is a good opportunity to discuss above proposals and again I would like to extend my appreciations to the leaders of our two neighbors and other officials for attending this meeting.

At this meeting, Mongolia is forwarding the following three proposals to exchange opinions, which are aimed to reach a consensus.

First: To reach an integrated solution by exchanging views on the basic principles mentioned above on organizing “Ulaanbaatar Meeting” between the heads of state of three countries.

Second: To resolve an issue on accelerating and organizing a tripartite working group meeting in Ulaanbaatar within this year regarding an establishment of the “General Agreement on Railway Transit Transport Between Governments of Mongolia, Russia and China”, which was negotiated during the recent visits of Xi Jinping and V.V.Putin to Mongolia. Moreover, such meeting considering the “Western Corridor of Natural Gas” through Mongolian territory is also possible to organize in Ulaanbaatar.

Third: In November 2014, the APEC Forum will be taking place in Beijing and in this regard, we would like to request H.E. Chairman Xi Jinping and H.E. President V.V.Putin to support Mongolia on joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as a member-economy.

In the scope of providing the preparation works for “Ulaanbaatar Meeting”, we would like to propose on organizing an annual meeting at the Deputy Foreign Minister-level between three countries and first meeting in Ulaanbaatar within this year.

Consequently, in order to intensify the partnership between the three states, we believe the first formal high-level meeting would take place in Ulaanbaatar and I am confident, this would contribute not only to our mutually beneficial cooperation, but also to regional development and prosperity.

Thank you for attention".

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