Mongolian President's Letter to POTUS Discusses Iraq, MCC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ULAANBAATAR 000220 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/K, EAP/PD, NEA/NGA, AND CA/VO AID FOR ANE FOR D. WINTON MCC FOR F. REID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR EAID MG IZ SUBJECT: Mongolian President's Letter to POTUS Discusses Iraq, MCC and Other Issues ¶1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided the Embassy with the copy of a letter from President Enkhbayar to President Bush. MFA stated that, while the letter is dated March 30, it was delivered by the Mongolian Embassy in Washington on April 11. The letter was released to the Mongolian press on April 11, and newspapers published the contents of the letter on April 12. MFA's English language translation of the letter is in para 2. ¶2. Begin MFA translation of the letter: Dear Mr. President, It was a great pleasure to talk to you on the telephone and exchange views on several issues of bilateral cooperation. It gives me a pleasure to inform you, Mr. President, that the issues on which we exchanged views, are begun to be materialized. The Government of Mongolia has decided, at the recommendation of the National Security Council, to extend the term of the service of the 7th rotation team of the Mongolian armed forces in Iraq, until early July 2007. As you might know, taking this decision was not easy one for us given the situation in Iraq, the public attitude and the positions of some of the countries in the region and beyond. Taking this opportunity I wish to draw, once again, your kind attention to some of the issues that were raised during our conversation. Concluding MCA Compact Agreement between our two countries is becoming for us an issue of principle. The Mongolian public is becoming anxious over the fact that Mongolia has not been able to receive assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account in spite of being eligible to receive assistance four years in row. It is, therefore, highly desirable for us to decide, as soon as possible, on the issue of concluding Compact Agreement. I, therefore, request You, Mr. President, to pay your kind attention to this issue and provide a political support to it. Given the importance of specialists with higher education for the strengthening of democracy and ensuring sustainable economic development of Mongolia, I requested, during our conversation, to support increasing scholarship opportunities for the Mongolian youth in United States higher education institutions. I would be most grateful, in this connection, if your administration could initiate Scholarships program for Mongolian young people, just the way a scholarships program is being implemented by your administration for Central Asia and Afghanistan. In 2001 our country granted to the United States citizens the right to visit Mongolia without visa up to 90 days. We would be most grateful if the United States could reciprocate this commitment of ours. I am confident that Mongolia and the United States will continue to fruitfully cooperate on the above and other issues, like Mongolia's APEC membership, including the Mongolians in the United States in a guest - worker program, Iraq's stabilization and rehabilitation, and de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In conclusion, I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for your kind invitation for me to visit the United States at the time of my convenience. It is my earnest hope that an opportunity will be bestowed on me to pay a fruitful visit to your magnificent country in order to continue with you our joint efforts to further enhance the close and comprehensive partnership between our two countries. Please accept, Dear Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration. PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA /signed/ NAMBARYN ENKHBAYAR ULAANBAATA 00000220 002 OF 002 End text of MFA translation of letter. Goldbeck