Ambassador Pays Initial Call on Ulaanbaatar Mayor Bilegt

UNCLAS ULAANBAATAR 000009 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PASS PEACE CORPS STATE FOR EAP/CM and INR/B USAID FOR ANE FOR D. WINSTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV SENV EAID MG SUBJECT: Ambassador Pays Initial Call on Ulaanbaatar Mayor Bilegt ¶1. (U) The Ambassador, during his January 7 courtesy call on newly appointed Ulaanbaatar Governor and Mayor Bilegt, congratulated Bilegt and passed to him White House photos taken when Bilegt, then Head of the President's Office, accompanied President Enkhbayar on his summit visit to the U.S. in October 2007. Bilegt thanked the Ambassador for his support and cooperation, adding that the Ambassador was the first member of the diplomatic community to call on him. ¶2. (U) The Ambassador noted the Millennium Challenge Account Compact's projects would make major contributions to the lives of the citizens of Ulaanbaatar, and he sought Bilegt's views on his priorities. Bilegt agreed that the MCA Compact would be important to his citizens, especially the railroad and vocational education training components. With a dozen reporters and media reps in attendance throughout the cordial 30-minute meeting, Bilegt said his most pressing issues included tackling UB's growing pollution problem, food safety issues given the recent tainted vodka related deaths, and improving the city's infrastructure, as the city was designed for 400,000 to 500,000 residents but now boasts nearly a million residents. Bilegt said he looked forward to continued close cooperation with the Ambassador and the Embassy. Minton