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185499
Tue, 05/31/2011 - 09:44
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http://m.oananews.org//node/185499
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RUSSIANS COVER PRESIDENT'S VISIT
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ The biggest Russian press has begun covering the official visit of Mongolia's President Ts.Elbegdorj to Russia which started May 30. Here is the news from the ITAR-TASS:
Mongolian President to discuss wider economic cooperation with Medvedev
MOSCOW, May 30 (Itar-Tass) -- Mongolian President Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj plans to discuss questions of expanding commercial and economic cooperation at the meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.
“We must forge ahead to new landmarks in commercial and economic relations,” he said at the Russian-Mongolian business forum on Monday. “I am going to discuss this with the Russian president and with the head of the cabinet. The Russian-Mongolian relations must be developed also in the strategic respect.”
Elbegdorj said, “The infrastructure and financial sectors, as well as agriculture, are very attractive areas of interaction.” “Tourism, the light industry and construction have a big potential, too,” he added. “We need Russian technologies and experience in these areas. We are ready to promote Russian business in every way, on our part,” he said.
In the opinion of Sergei Katyrin, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, “Russia and Mongolia have good prospects in the development of contacts.” “The chambers of commerce and industry and business councils of our countries are of much importance for the development of economic ties,” he noted.
Alexei Alyoshin, deputy secretary-general of Rostekhnologia corporation and deputy chairman of the Business Council for Cooperation with Mongolia, holds that “there exist favorable conditions for the development of commercial and economic relations in various areas.” “The tax load in Mongolian legislation, however, is so far an obstacle to large-scale presence of Russian business,” he added.
"Mongols have always reached out to Russia" -- Mongolian President
Why the Mongols want to be friends with Russia, whether they remember the Russian language, and what the Mongol soul is--these questions were answered Monday by the President in an interview with the first deputy director-general of the Itar-Tass news agency, Mikhail Gusman.
Mikhail Gusman: We are sitting in a unique yurt, which is located in your presidential palace. Two years ago, the first state leader whom you had hosted here was Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. How do you assess relations with Russia?
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj: Indeed, when I was elected President, my very first guest was Dmitry Medvedev. His visit opened a new chapter in our relations. At that time, we were celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Victory at Khalkhin Gol...Russian soldiers and officers lost their lives there, protecting our independence, our prosperity -- and we greatly value this. Russia is the only country to which we can say these words.
Gusman: What are your expectations from the current visit to Moscow?
Elbegdorj: I am confident that it will be successful and fruitful. I expect it to bring some practical decisions. The relations of our countries are truly entering a new level. I will be meeting with Dmitry Anatolyevich and Vladimir Vladimirovich, who has visited Mongolia several times. On the agenda is trade and economic cooperation. About 20 years ago, we were purchasing somewhere around 90% of our goods from Russia, and supplied Russia with our products. We exported meat, leather, down feathers and agricultural products. Our exports to Russia also constituted 90%. But today…the trade imbalance is somewhere around $60 million.
Cross-border trade is most promising. But our entrepreneurs are complaining about high customs tariffs. Bureaucratic obstacles remain. I think that these issues will be resolved. Meanwhile, the quality of your goods from Siberia, from the Irkutsk region, are well known in Mongolia.
Gusman: What are some of the priorities of Mongolia's foreign policy?
Elbegdorj: The main thing for us is to have good, friendly relations with our two great neighbors: Russia and the People's Republic of China. From century to century, one year to the next, we have maintained good connections. When our country faces difficult times, we first look to the north, to Russia. About two years ago, when we had very cold weather, the Russian government sent us grain. For Mongolia, that was a great help. Every shepherd, every person living in a yurt, had told me that they felt and valued Russia's support.
Gusman: Your Russian is excellent, although you have not had much practice since completing your studies at the Lvov Military Political Institute. How important is the Russian language in modern Mongolia?
Elbegdorj: On average, Mongolian officials are 40-50 years old. Almost 80% of civil servants are able to speak Russian freely. When we were going through the transition phase, the level of communication decreased slightly. But now an interest in the Russian language is once again rising. Ten years ago there were one to two schools where classes were conducted in Russian. Today, in our capital of Ulaanbaatar alone there are 13 such schools. And that is a good thing. We also have educational institutions that work jointly with Russian universities. Sometimes we ask our people: with whom should Mongolia have a close relationship, with which country? More than 60% of the population always says: with Russia. That is very telling; I am confident that our peoples should develop cooperation in all sectors.
Gusman: Last year you were lowered to the bottom of Lake Baikal in the submersible “Mir.” Tell us about that experience.
Elbegdorj: The impressions were simply wonderful. When I heard that Vladimir Putin had been to the bottom of Lake Baikal, I was inspired. And now I am the only acting president to have descended there. We were submerged to a depth of 437 meters. I was accompanied by two Russian comrades, and we were very perceptive of each other. As it turns out, depth brings people closer. I was very happy to have been involved in the achievements of Russian science, the Russian people. And I got a keen sense that we must jointly protect Lake Baikal.
Gusman: How prevalent are the Buddhist traditions in Mongolia today?
Elbegdorj: In Mongolia, Buddhism plays a major role. In the 1930s, many of the Buddhist temples were destroyed--more than 700. About 30,000 Buddhist monks were killed; Buddhists were practically obliterated. Therefore, we are now reviving the spiritual heritage. The Buddhist faith is a very peaceful religion. It is strongly associated with nature and with life in Mongolia. Buddhism has existed and developed in our country for over 600 years. Each nation must see its path, follow its guiding star. I therefore issued an order to teach these spiritual values to children starting with their first years of schooling.
Gusman: We have traveled across Mongolia and saw a large number of yurts. It seems that your shepherds and villagers do not want to move into houses. They continue to find comfort in yurts. How do you explain this?
Elbegdorj: A majority of Mongols, indeed, continue living in yurts. I, for example, was born and raised in a yurt. My parents were simple shepherds, and I the eighth child.
Gusman: How did you all manage to fit inside?
Elbegdorj: How did we fit? We just did. A yurt (ger in Mongolian) is a unique architectural structure. As you know, it is round. And that is unique: when it rains, when there are strong winds, yurts continue to stand. Modern buildings can sometimes collapse, but yurts are able to stand for 1,000 years. Yurts have a fireplace. They are connected with nature, the earth, and the sky. And they have, as Russians say, a ventilation window. There, in the mountains, where my parents lived, we could see wild animals through the window.
The respect for tradition begins with the yurt. That is why we love them. When it becomes warm during summer time, we, the urban population, move to yurts. People who are now living in the capital, when they get a break from school or go on vacation, also prefer to stay in a yurt - to rest and get in touch with their roots.
Gusman: Unfortunately, when it comes to Mongolia, there is a gap in the Russian media. We, in my opinion, are not well iformed about your country. The immediate associations are endless Mongolian steppes, herds of sheep, and horses. So, what is modern Mongolia?
Elbegdorj: I agree, Russian people are more aware of what is happening in the US or Europe than in Mongolia. When it comes to our country, there is indeed, a gap in the media. But we must fight this, inform people about our drive, customs and our big heart. I think that the Russian people would like to know about this. Therefore, we would like seeing our Russian friends visit our country more often. Mongolia is a very hospitable nation. I think that during my visit I will try to invite them in order to show our Mongolia to all Russians. We also want our people to know more about Russia.
Mongolian President to discuss wider economic cooperation with Medvedev
MOSCOW, May 30 (Itar-Tass) -- Mongolian President Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj plans to discuss questions of expanding commercial and economic cooperation at the meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.
“We must forge ahead to new landmarks in commercial and economic relations,” he said at the Russian-Mongolian business forum on Monday. “I am going to discuss this with the Russian president and with the head of the cabinet. The Russian-Mongolian relations must be developed also in the strategic respect.”
Elbegdorj said, “The infrastructure and financial sectors, as well as agriculture, are very attractive areas of interaction.” “Tourism, the light industry and construction have a big potential, too,” he added. “We need Russian technologies and experience in these areas. We are ready to promote Russian business in every way, on our part,” he said.
In the opinion of Sergei Katyrin, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, “Russia and Mongolia have good prospects in the development of contacts.” “The chambers of commerce and industry and business councils of our countries are of much importance for the development of economic ties,” he noted.
Alexei Alyoshin, deputy secretary-general of Rostekhnologia corporation and deputy chairman of the Business Council for Cooperation with Mongolia, holds that “there exist favorable conditions for the development of commercial and economic relations in various areas.” “The tax load in Mongolian legislation, however, is so far an obstacle to large-scale presence of Russian business,” he added.
"Mongols have always reached out to Russia" -- Mongolian President
Why the Mongols want to be friends with Russia, whether they remember the Russian language, and what the Mongol soul is--these questions were answered Monday by the President in an interview with the first deputy director-general of the Itar-Tass news agency, Mikhail Gusman.
Mikhail Gusman: We are sitting in a unique yurt, which is located in your presidential palace. Two years ago, the first state leader whom you had hosted here was Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. How do you assess relations with Russia?
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj: Indeed, when I was elected President, my very first guest was Dmitry Medvedev. His visit opened a new chapter in our relations. At that time, we were celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Victory at Khalkhin Gol...Russian soldiers and officers lost their lives there, protecting our independence, our prosperity -- and we greatly value this. Russia is the only country to which we can say these words.
Gusman: What are your expectations from the current visit to Moscow?
Elbegdorj: I am confident that it will be successful and fruitful. I expect it to bring some practical decisions. The relations of our countries are truly entering a new level. I will be meeting with Dmitry Anatolyevich and Vladimir Vladimirovich, who has visited Mongolia several times. On the agenda is trade and economic cooperation. About 20 years ago, we were purchasing somewhere around 90% of our goods from Russia, and supplied Russia with our products. We exported meat, leather, down feathers and agricultural products. Our exports to Russia also constituted 90%. But today…the trade imbalance is somewhere around $60 million.
Cross-border trade is most promising. But our entrepreneurs are complaining about high customs tariffs. Bureaucratic obstacles remain. I think that these issues will be resolved. Meanwhile, the quality of your goods from Siberia, from the Irkutsk region, are well known in Mongolia.
Gusman: What are some of the priorities of Mongolia's foreign policy?
Elbegdorj: The main thing for us is to have good, friendly relations with our two great neighbors: Russia and the People's Republic of China. From century to century, one year to the next, we have maintained good connections. When our country faces difficult times, we first look to the north, to Russia. About two years ago, when we had very cold weather, the Russian government sent us grain. For Mongolia, that was a great help. Every shepherd, every person living in a yurt, had told me that they felt and valued Russia's support.
Gusman: Your Russian is excellent, although you have not had much practice since completing your studies at the Lvov Military Political Institute. How important is the Russian language in modern Mongolia?
Elbegdorj: On average, Mongolian officials are 40-50 years old. Almost 80% of civil servants are able to speak Russian freely. When we were going through the transition phase, the level of communication decreased slightly. But now an interest in the Russian language is once again rising. Ten years ago there were one to two schools where classes were conducted in Russian. Today, in our capital of Ulaanbaatar alone there are 13 such schools. And that is a good thing. We also have educational institutions that work jointly with Russian universities. Sometimes we ask our people: with whom should Mongolia have a close relationship, with which country? More than 60% of the population always says: with Russia. That is very telling; I am confident that our peoples should develop cooperation in all sectors.
Gusman: Last year you were lowered to the bottom of Lake Baikal in the submersible “Mir.” Tell us about that experience.
Elbegdorj: The impressions were simply wonderful. When I heard that Vladimir Putin had been to the bottom of Lake Baikal, I was inspired. And now I am the only acting president to have descended there. We were submerged to a depth of 437 meters. I was accompanied by two Russian comrades, and we were very perceptive of each other. As it turns out, depth brings people closer. I was very happy to have been involved in the achievements of Russian science, the Russian people. And I got a keen sense that we must jointly protect Lake Baikal.
Gusman: How prevalent are the Buddhist traditions in Mongolia today?
Elbegdorj: In Mongolia, Buddhism plays a major role. In the 1930s, many of the Buddhist temples were destroyed--more than 700. About 30,000 Buddhist monks were killed; Buddhists were practically obliterated. Therefore, we are now reviving the spiritual heritage. The Buddhist faith is a very peaceful religion. It is strongly associated with nature and with life in Mongolia. Buddhism has existed and developed in our country for over 600 years. Each nation must see its path, follow its guiding star. I therefore issued an order to teach these spiritual values to children starting with their first years of schooling.
Gusman: We have traveled across Mongolia and saw a large number of yurts. It seems that your shepherds and villagers do not want to move into houses. They continue to find comfort in yurts. How do you explain this?
Elbegdorj: A majority of Mongols, indeed, continue living in yurts. I, for example, was born and raised in a yurt. My parents were simple shepherds, and I the eighth child.
Gusman: How did you all manage to fit inside?
Elbegdorj: How did we fit? We just did. A yurt (ger in Mongolian) is a unique architectural structure. As you know, it is round. And that is unique: when it rains, when there are strong winds, yurts continue to stand. Modern buildings can sometimes collapse, but yurts are able to stand for 1,000 years. Yurts have a fireplace. They are connected with nature, the earth, and the sky. And they have, as Russians say, a ventilation window. There, in the mountains, where my parents lived, we could see wild animals through the window.
The respect for tradition begins with the yurt. That is why we love them. When it becomes warm during summer time, we, the urban population, move to yurts. People who are now living in the capital, when they get a break from school or go on vacation, also prefer to stay in a yurt - to rest and get in touch with their roots.
Gusman: Unfortunately, when it comes to Mongolia, there is a gap in the Russian media. We, in my opinion, are not well iformed about your country. The immediate associations are endless Mongolian steppes, herds of sheep, and horses. So, what is modern Mongolia?
Elbegdorj: I agree, Russian people are more aware of what is happening in the US or Europe than in Mongolia. When it comes to our country, there is indeed, a gap in the media. But we must fight this, inform people about our drive, customs and our big heart. I think that the Russian people would like to know about this. Therefore, we would like seeing our Russian friends visit our country more often. Mongolia is a very hospitable nation. I think that during my visit I will try to invite them in order to show our Mongolia to all Russians. We also want our people to know more about Russia.
