The office of the President of Mongolia, Public Relations & Communications Division

www.president.mn

2009-08-11

President Elbegdorj’s message for Ulaanbaatar Forum of East Asian Countries

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I extend my welcome and greetings to all the guests and delegates participating in Ulaanbaatar Forum for East Asian countries.

I have no doubt that the Ulaanbaatar Forum, which has been organized since 2006, will serve greatly to deepening mutual trust, and fostering constructive cooperation among academics and researchers of the East Asian region.

We do highly value the important role Track II measures play in the development of regional multilateral relations and cooperation.
Though now is the era when we attain rapid development due to globalization and technological advances, we still face untraditional threats such as environmental degradation, spread of infectious diseases, cross-border organized crime, and terrorism along with the traditional ones, requiring more than ever mutual understanding and cooperation among nations.

In the last two decades since Mongolia embarked upon democracy, we have not only been prioritized our domestic issues, but have also placed a great importance in security and foreign policy cooperation, and have aspired to contribute to the regional and global efforts.

Lately, we have witnessed rapid advances in our foreign relations which are demonstrated, inter alia, in the development of “Strategic Partnership” with the Russian Federation, “Mutually Trusted Good Neighborly Partnership” with People’s Republic of China, “Comprehensive Partnership” with the United States of America and Japan, “Good Neighborly, Peaceful and Cooperative Partnership” with the Republic of Korea.

On the other hand, Mongolia places a great deal of importance in developing multifaceted multilateral foreign relations, participating in regional talks and cooperation and joining and acceding to various regional cooperation fora.
Toward this end, Mongolia has joined regional cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia Cooperation Dialogue, ASEM and PECC and joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization with the Observer status. Mongolia seeks to join the APEC and become an ASEAN dialogue partner and is committed to contributing to establishing the East Asian Community.

We have continued to express our unconditional support for initiatives to create a security cooperation mechanism in North East Asian region, and though not a member of the Six-Party talks, we have made efforts to support and contribute to resolving nuclear disputes of the Korean Peninsula.
“Resource rich economic region” of North East Asia can certainly benefit from revived Six-Party talks and if created, the regional cooperation mechanism, which can serve to deepening mutual understanding, cooperation and economic integration.


Ladies and Gentleman,

In times, when ecological degradation requires urgent resolution and global financial crisis had hit hard the livelihoods of the people throughout the world, I consider it of utmost importance that the agenda of this forum includes regional economic and financial relations, and cooperation ecology and tourism.

Mongolia has vast natural resources. Today, an ever increasing value of energy and natural resources makes us firmly believe that proper exploitation of mineral resources can lay a solid foundation for Mongolia’s development.
On the other hand, using environmentally friendly, high-tech investment is not only beneficial for protecting the ecological system of Mongolia, but is also our responsibility to our neighboring countries.


Ladies and Gentleman,

It is our common will to pass on a harms-free world, with undisputed natural beauty and flourishing, humane society. Our will is common, and so is our threat.
Thus, developing together and finding solutions together continue to be the main subject of discussion for regional cooperation. I firmly believe that Ulaanbaatar Forum will contribute some part of the answer.

I wish success in the forum’s proceedings, and please visit Ulaanbaatar time and again with your friends and family.

Thank you.