Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ULAANBAATAR243
2008-05-27 22:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Cable title:
OPPOSITION LEADER ELBEGDORG TO PEABODY ENERGY: NO POLITICAL
how-toVZCZCXRO4402 RR RUEHLMC DE RUEHUM #0243 1482240 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 272240Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2197 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6185 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3385 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3060 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2277 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0634 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0292 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0189 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000243
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR, USTDA, OPIC, USGS, AND EXIMBANK
STATE PASS DOI/BLM FOR TESS BENNINGTON
STATE FOR EAP/CM AND EB/IFD/OIA
USDOC FOR ITA
INTERIOR FOR BLM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV PREL ECON EFIN PGOV MG
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADER ELBEGDORG TO PEABODY ENERGY: NO POLITICAL
CONSENSUS ON MINING
REF: ULAANBAATAR 227
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000243
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR, USTDA, OPIC, USGS, AND EXIMBANK
STATE PASS DOI/BLM FOR TESS BENNINGTON
STATE FOR EAP/CM AND EB/IFD/OIA
USDOC FOR ITA
INTERIOR FOR BLM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV PREL ECON EFIN PGOV MG
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADER ELBEGDORG TO PEABODY ENERGY: NO POLITICAL
CONSENSUS ON MINING
REF: ULAANBAATAR 227
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
1. (SBU) Peabody Energy's President for Northeast Asia, Mr. Tahir
Tayeb, along with Peabody reps and Econoff, met on May 9 with the
leader of Mongolia's opposition Democratic Party, Ts. Elbegdorj, and
shared a copy of Peabody's draft study of recommendations for a
framework for the development of Mongolia's coal industry. The
recommendations had already been shared earlier that week with
President Enkhbayar, who had originally requested the study, and
Prime Minister Bayar (reftel).
2. (SBU) Elbegdorj thanked Peabody for its efforts and remarked that
it was unlikely that any agreement on mining would be reached before
elections in late June, as Parliament was already having a hard time
rounding up a quorum. He likened the partisan bickering over mining
to internal U.S. political disagreements over Mideast policy, saying
"mining is our Iraq."
3. (SBU) He then asked Peabody for its thoughts on production
sharing agreements (PSA) which some in Parliament would like to see
included (or passed in lieu of) controversial legislation giving the
Mongolian State 51% of strategic mines. Peabody, however, remained
non-committal, saying PSAs could take any number of forms.
Elbegdorj then revealed that an unnamed Indian metal company had
offered US$2 billion as an up-front payment for a one-fifth share in
Tavan Tolgoi. (Note: The "un-named" firm is Arcelor-Mittal, whose
chairman visited Mongolia recently. However, Post has not been able
to confirm that Mittal made the offer. End Note.)
4. (SBU) Elbegdorj, a former Prime Minister, was optimistic of his
party's chances in Mongolia's June 29 Parliamentary elections,
saying the Democratic Party (DP) is now a free-market force that
opposes governmental interference with business. He added that only
20% of DP party members now feel government should play a strong
role in business.
5. (SBU) When Peabody talked about helping a recent delegation of
high-ranking politicians from Missouri to solicit Chinese support to
make St. Louis (Peabody's home) a transportation hub for
international trade, Elbegdorj dusted off his similar dream for
Ulaanbaatar; a transportation hub in central Asia. Elbegdorj was
interested in coal-to-liquid technology that could be used to refuel
cargo aircraft landing in UB. Peabody discussed their involvement
in such technologies, saying that it was feasible to use such fuel
for aircraft.
Minton
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USTR, USTDA, OPIC, USGS, AND EXIMBANK
STATE PASS DOI/BLM FOR TESS BENNINGTON
STATE FOR EAP/CM AND EB/IFD/OIA
USDOC FOR ITA
INTERIOR FOR BLM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EMIN EINV PREL ECON EFIN PGOV MG
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LEADER ELBEGDORG TO PEABODY ENERGY: NO POLITICAL
CONSENSUS ON MINING
REF: ULAANBAATAR 227
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
1. (SBU) Peabody Energy's President for Northeast Asia, Mr. Tahir
Tayeb, along with Peabody reps and Econoff, met on May 9 with the
leader of Mongolia's opposition Democratic Party, Ts. Elbegdorj, and
shared a copy of Peabody's draft study of recommendations for a
framework for the development of Mongolia's coal industry. The
recommendations had already been shared earlier that week with
President Enkhbayar, who had originally requested the study, and
Prime Minister Bayar (reftel).
2. (SBU) Elbegdorj thanked Peabody for its efforts and remarked that
it was unlikely that any agreement on mining would be reached before
elections in late June, as Parliament was already having a hard time
rounding up a quorum. He likened the partisan bickering over mining
to internal U.S. political disagreements over Mideast policy, saying
"mining is our Iraq."
3. (SBU) He then asked Peabody for its thoughts on production
sharing agreements (PSA) which some in Parliament would like to see
included (or passed in lieu of) controversial legislation giving the
Mongolian State 51% of strategic mines. Peabody, however, remained
non-committal, saying PSAs could take any number of forms.
Elbegdorj then revealed that an unnamed Indian metal company had
offered US$2 billion as an up-front payment for a one-fifth share in
Tavan Tolgoi. (Note: The "un-named" firm is Arcelor-Mittal, whose
chairman visited Mongolia recently. However, Post has not been able
to confirm that Mittal made the offer. End Note.)
4. (SBU) Elbegdorj, a former Prime Minister, was optimistic of his
party's chances in Mongolia's June 29 Parliamentary elections,
saying the Democratic Party (DP) is now a free-market force that
opposes governmental interference with business. He added that only
20% of DP party members now feel government should play a strong
role in business.
5. (SBU) When Peabody talked about helping a recent delegation of
high-ranking politicians from Missouri to solicit Chinese support to
make St. Louis (Peabody's home) a transportation hub for
international trade, Elbegdorj dusted off his similar dream for
Ulaanbaatar; a transportation hub in central Asia. Elbegdorj was
interested in coal-to-liquid technology that could be used to refuel
cargo aircraft landing in UB. Peabody discussed their involvement
in such technologies, saying that it was feasible to use such fuel
for aircraft.
Minton