MONGOLIA WANTS TO BECOME ESCO PARTICIPATING STATE

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ The Permanent representative of Mongolia to international organizations in Vienna, J.Enkhsaikhan has met Renatas Norkus, a chairperson of the Permanent Council of the Organization for security and co-operation in Europe /OSCE/. At the meeting on October 28 Mr. Enkhsaikhan handed over Mr. Norkus a letter from Mongolia's Foreign Ministry G.Zandanshatar and requested him to give it to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis. The Third neighbour of Mongolia, the ESCO plays an important role in Mongolia's implementing the goals of foreign policy,said Mr. Jargalsaikhan. Mr. Norkus said the letter would be delivered to A.Azubalis and spread among the ESCO members. The same day, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis received the letter from Mongolia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Gombojav Zandanshatar, formally expressing Mongolia’s willingness to join the OSCE as a participating State. In his letter, Mr. Zandanshatar declared the readiness of his country to accept in their entirety all the commitments and responsibilities contained in the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and all other OSCE documents. “Mongolia has expressed the wish to become a participating State of the OSCE. At the OSCE Summit in Astana in December, the participating States reaffirmed their commitment to build security and stability and respect for human rights in the area from Vancouver to Vladivostok,” said Ažubalis. “By freely adopting the commitments contained in the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris and all other OSCE documents as a participating State, Mongolia has sent a strong signal with regard to both the continued relevance of the OSCE’s values, and the country’s determination to adhere to those values.” The Chairmanship will start consultations with the OSCE participating States regarding the application, said Ažubalis. Mongolia has been an OSCE Partner for Co-operation since 2004. The last country to become an OSCE participating State was Montenegro in 2006. Becoming an OSCE participating State requires a consensus decision by all the current 56 participating States. B.Oyundelger