STATE VISIT OF INDIA'S PRESIDENT STARTS

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ The President of the Republic of India Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil with her spouse Mr. Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat started Thursday a state visit to Mongolia.
The dignitaries have been welcomed by the State Head of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj and his spouse Kh.Bolormaa, on the Sukhbaatar square.
Present at the welcoming ceremony were N.Enkhbold MP, a Vice Deputy Premier of Mongolia; G.Zandanshatar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; V.Enkhbold, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to India; Yo.Otgonbayar, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science and head of the Mongolian side of the intergovernmental commission; D.Battulga, a head of the Presidential Office; Ts.Enkhtuvshin, the secretary of the National Security Council (NSC); Mahadeo Singh Khandela, a State Minister of India; MPs Ot Lecha, Sushila Tiriya, Manikrao H.Gavit; Christy Fernandes, head of India's Presidential Office; and Sanjay Singh, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the ceremony, the national anthems of the two countries have been played, then Mrs. Patil paid a tribute to the monument of Chingis Khaan and left her signature in the Book of Honored Guests in the Governmental House.
Mongolia's President Ts.Elbegdorj has welcomed his counterpart in the State Ceremonial Palace, and then the dignitaries held talks.
B.Khuder