Speaker Z.Enkhbold holds talks with Chairman of State Duma

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Chairman of the State Great Khural (parliament) Mr Z.Enkhbold and the visiting Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Mr S.Naryshkin ran Monday negotiations at the State House on Monday. Z.Enkhbold thanked Mr Naryshkin for visiting Mongolia and introduced to him the MPs present. In response, the State Duma Chairman Naryshkin thanked the Speaker for a warm audience and introduced to him officials accompanying him. Noting that his visit is running on the eve of the Lunar New Year, he greeted the Mongolians on this celebration. He also expressed a hope that his visit will significantly contribute to the expansion of both Mongolia-Russia friendly relations and cooperation and the inter-parliamentarian ties. To this Mr Enkhbold said that a deepening of the traditional and good-neighborhood relations and cooperation with the Russian Federation “is a priority of Mongolia’s foreign policy”, noting that a frequency of mutual high level visits has increased. He underlined an importance of the working visit of the Russian President Vladimir Putin paid to Mongolia last year and of a meeting of the two Presidents in Shanghai of China. He added that the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj is expected to visit Russia this May. During the working visit of the Russian President our countries agreed to establish a middle-term programme on developing the strategic partnership. Such ties have been established with China and Japan, “it is important to have this programme with Russia, so I hope that the two sides will approve the programme in a near future as agreed,” Mr Enkhbold said. He went that several mutual visits have been implemented thanks to an intensive development of the relations between the two parliaments, for example, the Chairwoman of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation V.I.Matvienko visited Mongolia in June of 2014, and a delegation headed by Mr L.Tsog, a Vice Speaker of parliament, has visited Russia. Having underlined that Mr Naryshkin’s visit will open a new chapter in the bilateral relations, he talked about active works of the Mongolia-Russia inter-parliamentary group which has 17 members including a Vice Speaker. In turn, Mr Naryshkin said our countries have ancient friendly relations and that Russian considers Mongolia as its good strategic partners, and added that Russia wants to forward the bilateral ties and cooperation in all levels on a mutually beneficial principle. He emphasized that the legislative bodies of the two countries can collaborate within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Appreciating the chairmanship of Mongolia for the OSCE Forum, Mr Naryshkin said the Russian side will take part in the OSCE forum that will run this September in Ulaanbaatar. Then the dignitaries touched upon ways of boosting the cooperation in politics, trade, economy, culture, sciences, education and of collaborating near borders. Mr Enkhbold said he is worried about a stagnation in the commercial and economic ties, and underlined an importance of the inter-parliamentary ties in intensifying the ties. Three joint ventures are the pillars of the Mongolia-Russia cooperation in the trade and economic fields, Enkhbold noted and said that a matter is being discussed to amend the intergovernmental agreements on actions of the “Erdenet” Mining Corporation and “Mongolrostsvetmet” LLC. “Our parliament intends to resolve this matter,” he added. Another important issue is having the State Duma ratified a document on tackling the debt issue of ‘Mongolrostsvetmet’ JSV--the intergovernmental agreement on Mongolia’s financial responsibilities to Russia. The two countries signed this document in 2010, it has been approved by the Mongolian government, but the Russian side has not fulfilled its obligations, Mr Enkhbold pointed and requested the Russian side to focus on this issue. He also expressed a willingness to cooperate with Russia in running through Mongolian territories auto and railroads, oil, natural gas and energy pipelines which will connect Russia and China, and hoped that the State Duma Chairman will consider this issue. Mongolia also wants to augment a quote of Mongolian students to study in Russia with governmental scholarships, to cooperate with Russian universities and institutes in researches and to implement joint projects. Mr Naryshkin said he has the same position over the bilateral trade and economic cooperation and emphasized an importance of an cooperation in fully exploiting all opportunities of the economic ties. Russia highly values the Mongolian government’s attention to developing of Russian language and culture in Mongolia, Mr Naryshkin said Russia decided to increase by 25% the number of Mongolian students in Russian universities and institutes in 2014-2015. The he invited our Speaker to Russia. Present at the negotiations were R.Gonchigdorj and L.Tsog, Vice Speakers; N.Battsereg, D.Khayankhyarvaa, D.Arvin, G.Bayarsaikhan, O.Sodbileg MPs; B.Boldbaatar, the Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Office; N.Oyundari, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; and other officials.