STATE HEAD PHONES BAN KI-MOON

Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ State Head Ts.Elbegdorj phoned Thursday the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and shared views on global climate change, difficulties in overwintering in Mongolia, aftermath of the Haiti earthquake and other issues.
The State Head said that over one million livestock perished in Mongolia due to severe weather. He said many families in localities have lost their source of life because of the zud (natural disaster resulted from excessive snow and cold). Mongolia is facing problems in realizing measures for reducing poverty in frames of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) announced by the UN, he added. The President requested Ban Ki-moon to pay attention to protecting health of herdsmen, providing them with livestock and working out and implementing a new policy for local areas.
The President offered his condolence on behalf of Mongolia's people, government and state for death of many people, including UN officials, due to devastating earthquake in Haiti and said Mongolia has decided to render assistance to this country. Elbegdorj underlined a vital importance of the UN in preventing public disorders in Haiti and restoring the country, and expressed a willingness of Mongolia to support the UN activities in these deeds.
Ban Ki-moon thanked Mongolia for supporting the UN activities. He supported an active position of Mongolia's President towards climate change and participation of Mongolia in the Copenhagen's Climate Change Conference, and expressed a willingness to develop close cooperation with Mongolia in the above directions. The Secretary-General expressed his confidence that Mongolia would join the Agreement of Copenhagen--a final document of the Copenhagen's Conference, and would release its list of measures to be taken against climate change.
Mr Ban also approved a decision of Elbegdorj to suspend the capital punishment in Mongolia, and backed a complete abolishment of this punishment. He said the UN is ready to cooperate with Mongolia in realizing the MDGs and combating poverty, and suggested the State Head to develop effective collaboration in successfully organizing a UN summit meeting for controlling over realization of the MDGs. The summit meeting will be arranged September of 2010 in New York, USA.
B.Khuder