Mongolia Expresses Interest to Join Eurasian Economic Union - Ambassador

Mongolia expresses high interest in collaboration with the EEU, develop trade and economic ties with Russia, the country's Ambassador to Russia Banzragch Delgermaa said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is of great interest for Mongolia, the country's Ambassador to Russia Banzragch Delgermaa said Saturday.

"As you know, the process of integration and establishment of regional blocs is underway in the world, and that is why Mongolia, located between such powerful states as Russia and China, and without access to the sea, is glad to join some economic blocs and work effectively, In this regard, the Eurasian Economic Union is of great interest for us," Delgermaa said in the interview to Rossiya 24 channel.

Delgermaa noted that joining the EEU was earlier discussed with former Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who is currently the chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the executive body of the EEU. The Eurasian Economic Union is a Russia-initiated regional political and economic bloc which aims to streamline the flow of goods and services between its members, namely Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

"As you know, the process of integration and establishment of regional blocs is underway in the world, and that is why Mongolia, located between such powerful states as Russia and China, and without access to the sea, is glad to join some economic blocs and work effectively, In this regard, the Eurasian Economic Union is of great interest for us," Delgermaa said in the interview to Rossiya 24 channel.

Delgermaa noted that joining the EEU was earlier discussed with former Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who is currently the chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the executive body of the EEU. The Eurasian Economic Union is a Russia-initiated regional political and economic bloc which aims to streamline the flow of goods and services between its members, namely Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

"The potential of trade relations between the two countries is very big, earlier we had joint ventures, unfortunately we do not see any investment projects yet. But at the SCO summit in Tashkent this year a program of economic corridor was signed, on which we hope. We also hope that the investment environment would improve," Delgermaa told the Rossiya 24 TV-channel in an interview.

She said that the countries had positive political relations but noted that there were misbalances in bilateral trade with the turnover amounting to $1.2 billion and Russian export to Mongolia – over $1 billion. Delgermaa pointed out that Russia had always been a good neighbor of Mongolia – especially during last 95 years. Earlier on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Mongolian counterpart Tsendiyn Munkh-Orgil had exchanged congratulatory messages marking the 95th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between the countries. Russia and Mongolia have almost a century-long history of friendly relations. Mongolia declared its independence from China in 1911 following the Xinhai revolution in China. In 1921, Russian White warlord Roman von Ungern-Sternberg helped to free the Mongolian capital of Urga from Chinese troops thus protecting the country’s independence. The same year, Mongolia witnessed a revolution that resulted in improving relations with Soviet Russia. In late 1930s – early 1940s, the countries joined their efforts resisting expansion of the Japanese Empire.

Source:https://sputniknews.com

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Statement at the Conclusion of the IMF Mission to Mongolia

November 4, 2016

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Koshy Mathai visited Ulaanbaatar during October 24–November 4, 2016. Mr. Neil Saker, the IMF’s Resident Representative in Mongolia, issued the following statement at the conclusion of the visit:

“The mission held very productive discussions with the Mongolian authorities on the 2016 Article IV Consultation as well as on policies that could become part of an IMF-supported economic and financial program. Common policy views were developed in many key areas. The team will now return to IMF headquarters to give time for further consultations on both sides. We would like to thank the authorities for their warm welcome and close cooperation and look forward to continuing our joint work to help address the challenges facing the Mongolian economy.”

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: KEIKO UTSUNOMIYA

PHONE: +1 202 623-7100EMAIL: MEDIA@IMF.ORG

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Turkey Wants Mongolia To Shut Down Turkish Schools

POSTED BY: STAFF OCTOBER 28, 2016

Just ten years ago, Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc recalled a dramatic scene. One diplomat dropped his teacup upon hearing that he was posted to Mongolia with 5,000 USD, special residence, and a car — a lavish job at that time. “How can I live there?” the diplomat reportedly asked, according to Arinc. He noted that there are, however, some highly qualified Turkish teachers who defied the odds and went to teach Mongolian children with only $300 salary.

This speech by second-highest Turkish official just a decade ago is ironic, given that the incumbent Turkish ambassador in Mongolia is prodding Mongolian officials to shut down Turkish schools and companies.

Mongolia, a landlocked and impoverished country of 3 million people, is allegedly bracing to shut down schools that taught Science and English to their kids for two decades, at the request of Turkey.

The schools are part of a vast global network of a U.S.-based cleric, arch nemesis of the Turkish president, and have ranked as Mongolia’s leading private educational facilities for many years. Most of the teachers were imported from Turkey’s leading prestigious universities, and many graduates of these schools had a chance to study in Turkey, Europe, and the U.S., a privilege that was unthinkable during the Cold War.

Since the failed military coup attempt, Turkey has escalated its full-fledged campaign to put pressure on dozens of countries to curb activities of a movement led by Fethullah Gulen, who is living in a self-imposed exile in rural Pennsylvania. In democracies, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a hard time. In many poor and undemocratic countries, however, the Turkish government could successfully convince host nations to shut down schools and companies of the movement. These countries include poor ones such as Somalia and Equatorial Guinea, or Turkey’s close allies like Jordan and Azerbaijan.

Since July, Turkey has accelerated its efforts to force Mongolia to shut down Turkish schools, or better, transfer them to Maarif, a Turkish government-run company that seeks to emulate the Gulen movement’s international school network.

This week, Turkish lawmakers Nureddin Nebat, Abdulkadir Akgul, Resit Polat, Fehmi Kupcu, Ziya Aktunyaldız, Erkan Haberal and Bulent Yener Bektasoglu were to visit Ulan Bator that includes meetings with Mongolia’s foreign and defense ministers as well as the Parliament speaker. The first and the most important item on the agenda is closing Gulen’s school. Cem Sultan Aktas from the Foreign Ministry is also among the visiting Turkish delegation.

Prior to the visit of the lawmakers, Mongolia’s local press started speculations that Ulan Bator would shut down the schools, seize Turkish companies and deport Turks at the request of Ankara.

On Oct. 13, Education Ministry Undersecretary Yusuf Tekin, who is known to be the architect of decrees that shut down Gulen’s 3,000 prep schools and nearly 950 private schools across Turkey, visited Mongolia to push the host nation to shut down the schools. General Director Bulent Ciftci was accompanying Tekin during the visit. Last week, Serdar Cam, head of Turkey’s state-run development agency, TIKA, was also in Mongolia.

Early in August, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu phoned his Mongolian counterpart to update him about the activities of the Gulen movement.

Last month, Turkey’s Ambassador to Mongolia, Murat Karagoz, acknowledged that he officially notified the Mongolian authorities about the “upcoming danger” Gulenists posed to Mongolia and that he continues to warn the Mongolian people through the media. His two interviews were published by the Mongolian local media while he penned another op-ed as part of the government-led anti-Gulen campaign.

Source:http://www.turkeytms.com/

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