VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Russia and Mongolia have traditionally maintained diversified, "good-neighbourly" relations and a long history of bilateral interaction.
The relationship is currently regulated by a legal friendship and cooperation agreement signed January 20, 1993.
Now that the temporary cooling in Russia's contacts with Mongolia is over, the two countries' relations have grown into a strategic partnership which is expanding now. Their political dialogue has become more active lately.
In January 2008, Otgonbayar Yondon, leader of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, visited Moscow by invitation of the United Russia party.
On February 25, Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar met in Seoul with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.
A delegation of the Russian State Duma headed by Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the lower house committee on international affairs, visited Ulan-Bator on March 20-23.
On April 10-13, Mongolian Prime Minister Sanjaagiin Bayar paid an official visit to Moscow, which produced eight intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements and a joint statement.
Following the agreements reached, Russia assisted Mongolia in stabilising such socially sensitive markets as fuels and lubricants and food. Moscow also supported Mongolia's significant initiatives on the international arena, including its plan to join the work on a peace and security solution for North-East Asia, including a settlement of the Korean nuclear problem; to enhance business cooperation with the SCO countries, Mongolia holding an SCO observer status since 2004, and to strengthen international guarantees of Mongolia's nuclear-free status.
On May 15-16, 2008, Mongolia's President Nambaryn Enkhbayar visited Moscow where he met with President Dmitry Medvedev and held talks with Sergei Mironov, Speaker of the Federation Council, the Russian Parliament's upper house.
On September 9, 2008, Mongolian Prime Minister Sanjaagiin Bayar met with Russian officials (Sergei Mironov, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Transport Minister Igor Levitin, Russian Technology state corporation head Sergei Chemezov and Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin) in Irkutsk, where Bayar was participating in the Baikal Economic Forum.
On October 30, 2008 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Bayar during the SCO heads' of government meeting.
President Medvedev has been invited to pay an official visit to Mongolia in 2009 to attend the festivities for the 70th anniversary of the joint victory in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol.
Trade and economic contacts between Russia and Mongolia have revived lately, especially due to growing ties between borderline areas accounting for 70% of bilateral goods turnover.
The two countries' 2008 mutual trade exceeded $1.2 billion for the first time after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, according to tentative estimate, which is well ahead of the level planned in the Programme of the Russian-Mongolian Trade and Economic Cooperation until 2010.
The 13th meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade, economic, research and technology cooperation is slated for the first quarter of 2009.
Russia and Mongolia have established several joint ventures, including Erdenet copper and molybdenum producer Erdenet, Mongolrostsvetmet (non-ferrous metals) and the Ulan-Bator Railway. To raise the joint projects' efficiency is one of the two countries' priorities, along with launching new ones.
