Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ULAANBAATAR724
2006-09-27 09:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S INITIAL CALLS ON PRESIDENT, SPEAKER,

Tags:  PREL EAID ETRD MG 
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INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5246
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2473
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2249
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0366
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0443
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RUCPODC/USDOC WASHDC 1102
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000724 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID ETRD MG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INITIAL CALLS ON PRESIDENT, SPEAKER,
PM CITE EXCELLENT BILATERAL RELATIONALS


Sensitive But Unclassified -- Not for Internet distribution.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000724

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID ETRD MG
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S INITIAL CALLS ON PRESIDENT, SPEAKER,
PM CITE EXCELLENT BILATERAL RELATIONALS


Sensitive But Unclassified -- Not for Internet distribution.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In the Ambassador's initial meetings with
President Enkhbayar, following presenting his credentials on
September 20, State Great Hural Speaker Nyambdorj on
September 25, and Prime Minister Enkhbold, the Mongolian
leaders stressed good bilateral relations, and pressed for
early completion of a Millennium Challenge Account compact as
well as a Free Trade Agreement. The discussion of Mongolia's
seventh rotation of military forces to Iraq is reported
septel. END SUMMARY.

PRESIDENT PUSHES MCC COMPACT, FTA, PLANNING SUPPORT
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) The Ambassador arrived at post September 18, and he
presented his credentials to President Enkhbayar the
afternoon of September 20. During the warm and cordial
30-minute meeting following the credentialing ceremony, the
President noted U.S.-Mongolia relations and cooperation were
very good. This cooperation could be enhanced by the
proposed Comprehensive Partnership Framework Agreement
(CPFA). The GOM appreciated the USG's contributions in
support of Mongolia's defense reform and peace-keeping
capacity building efforts, while this also reinforced
Mongolia's independence and its national identity. He
reiterated his appreciation for President Bush's November
2005 visit to Mongolia and his acknowledgment of the U.S. as
Mongolia's "third neighbor." Economic and commercial ties
could also be enhanced through the conclusion of a Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) as well as through conclusion of a Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact. The GOM also welcomed
increased educational and cultural exchanges, he said.
President Enkhbayar said the GOM was now preparing Mongolia's
first-ever national development strategy, which the GOM hopes
to have ready early next year. Japan and Korea had offered
planning support and the President said he would welcome USG
assistance as well..


3. (SBU) The Ambassador agreed relations were excellent and
both sides sought to increase and broaden cooperation. He
noted the President's remarks at the Non-Aligned Movement
conference in Havana the previous week had made strong points
regarding North Korea's nuclear policy and its human rights
performance. The Ambassador said that U.S. and Mongolia were
making progress on improving bilateral commercial ties and
had conducted two rounds of talks under the bilateral Trade
and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA),noting a third
round of TIFA talks are now planned for early 2007. He
observed that both sides are working hard to conclude a MCC
compact and that, once concluded, the compact would greatly
expand the bilateral relationship. He also thanked the
President for accepting his credentials the day after the
President's return from overseas.

SPEAKER INTERESTED IN MCC, FTA, AND VISAS
--------------


4. (SBU) The Ambassador's September 25 call on State Great
Hural (parliament) Speaker Nyambdorj covered much of the same
ground, with Nyambdorj urging that the MCC compact be
completed as soon as possible; ditto FTA, although he also
made a case for more visas for Mongolian students, business
representatives, and visitors.

PM EMPHASIZE COMPREHENSIVE PARNTERSHIP AGREEMENT, MCC, AND FTA
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) Prime Minister Enkhbold, who returned late September
25 from his visit to the UNGA and Washington, met with the
Ambassador the afternoon of September 26. The PM
congratulated the Ambassador, adding he hoped the
Ambassador's expertise in Asian relations would help broaden
and deepen U.S. relations with Mongolia. He noted it had
been 19 years since the U.S. and Mongolia had established
diplomatic relations and he hoped to expand relations under
the proposed CPFA as well as through the MCC compact,
observing that some Mongolians had become skeptical about
U.S. commitment to concluding the MCC compact. The
Ambassador replied that both sides had expressed strong
political commitment to finish the MCC compact and additional

ULAANBAATA 00000724 002 OF 002


efforts were being made to finalize necessary details. The
PM noted that he had met President Bush recently during the
September 19 roundtable on democracy in New York and U.S.
support was evident for Mongolia's emerging market economy
and democracy. The PM also expressed the GOM's desire to
conclude an FTA, and the Ambassador drew from his recent
Korean experience regarding the process and required
preparations for such a strenuous, multi-year negotiation,
encouraging the GOM to make progress through the TIFA process.
GOLDBECK