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Monday, June 10, 2013

[ETT shortlists 2 firms for 1 year West Tsankhi contract, Great Khural takes break till election, and Tony Blair strikes deal to advise Mongolia]

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T. Bataar

Mongolian "Warriors Tyrannosaurus" fossils return home, on first exhibition

ULAN BATOR, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of spectators and reporters gathered at the Sukhbaatar Square of Ulan Bator Saturday, waiting to have their first look at an exhibition of "Warriors Tyrannosaurus" fossils returned from the United States.

The Mongolian "Warriors Tyrannosaurus" fossils had been smuggled into the United States, but they would soon become a valuable heritage of Mongolia, Tsedevdamba Oyungerel, Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at an opening ceremony.

In order to effectively protect the country's abundant dinosaur fossil resources, the government has decided to build a Mongolian dinosaur museum, with the temporary exhibition open till September, said the minister.

A large number of Mongolia's dinosaur fossils have been smuggled into Europe, North America and Asia. More than 120 pieces of them would be returned to their homeland in the near future.

A nearly complete fossil of a giant Tyrannosaurus, which was unearthed in Mongolia, was put on auction in New York on May 20 last year. The Mongolian government lodged a protest, asking the U.S. government to return it back.

A U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled this piece of fossil must be returned to Mongolia, and it was sent back home on May 18 this year.

Mongolian dinosaur fossils are mainly distributed in the south, middle and east gobi. Since 1922, scientists have found many fossils of Cretaceous dinosaurs, including protoceratops and oviraptors.

Link to article

 

Overseas Market

Prophecy Closes Final Tranche of Private Placement

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - June 7, 2013) - Prophecy Coal Corp. ("Prophecy" or the "Company") (TSX:PCY)(OTCQX:PRPCF)(FRANKFURT:1P2) is pleased to confirm the closing of a second and final tranche of the private placement which was the subject of its February 7, April 16, and May 31, 2013 news releases (the "Placement").

The second tranche of the Placement closed with the issuance of 8,142,857 units (each a "Unit") of the Company for aggregate consideration of $1,140,000. Each Unit consists of one common share and 0.75 of a common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), at a purchase price of $0.14 per Unit. Each whole Warrant is exercisable for one common share of Prophecy at a price of $0.18, expiring two years from the date of issue. Each Unit sold in the second tranche closing also included an adjustment warrant entitling the holder to acquire additional common shares of the Company in certain circumstances. The terms of the Adjustment Warrants are disclosed in the Company's May 31, 2013 news release.

A finder's fee of 6 percent was paid in respect of the NewMargin Prophecy Coal Limited portion of the second tranche of the placement.

All securities issued in connection to the Placement are subject to a 4 months and one day hold period from the date of security issuance.

Link to release

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Local Market

MONGOLIA STOCKS RISE FOR 7TH DAY IN A ROW, LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN A YEAR

June 7 (BDSec) Mongolian shares closed 1.64% higher on Friday, pushing MSE Top 20 to its seventh straight day of gains. Tavantolgoi (TTL) and Aduunchuluun (ADL) once again led the gains by jumping 14.99% and 12.05%, respectively. On the exchange, about 90 thousand shares of 26 companies traded with a value of MNT 85.9 million (~$60k).

Corporate headlines

SCHCD (Securities Clearing House & Central Depository) executed MNT 3.7 trillion worth transaction in last 10 years. SCHCD, which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary, executed MNT 834 bn worth clearing for Mongolian Stock Exchange and placed MNT 16.6 bn worth dividend into the clients' accounts so far. Currently, SCHCD is keeping 18.1 bn shares of 1.446 trillion market cap, in total.

Macro headlines

General Election Committee (GEC) gave warning to MPP candidate B.Bat-Erdene to dismiss his proposal to count the votes manually. According to the GEC, the law on Election states that a candidate/political party who advocates others to breach election and other related laws will be held responsible. 

Last few months were full of alleged white collar crimes and money laundering revelations. Not a long ago, the people were shaken by MIAT fraud, and high profile politicians' corruption & money laundering cases. Recently, ex-minister, parliament member (MPP),  Yo.Otgonbayar's wife O.Erdenesolongo has been accused of money laundering. Unofficial sources say that her account had cash movement of USD 323 mn and MNT 13.9 bn during 2009-2013. Mr.Otgonbayar currently denies the matter and says he is not aware of such cash. (Otgonbayar's family reported 2012 annual income of MNT 572.7 million).

Top movers

Value Leaders

Close

Value (MNT)

Sharyn Gol (SHG)

        8,630

              36,223,200

Atar Urguu (ATR)

     50,000

              12,150,000

State Department Store (UID)

           404

                 8,255,830

 

 

 

Top Gainers

Close

% Change

Tavantolgoi (TTL)

        4,366

14.99%

Aduunchuluun (ADL)

        3,506

12.05%

Zoos Goyol (ZOO)

        1,020

6.81%

 

 

 

Top Losers

Close

% Change

Telecom Mongolia (MCH)

           984

-10.43%

Olloo (OLL)

           120

-7.69%

Khukh Gan (HGN)

           140

-7.42%

Link to report

 

FMG: Conference to promote Mongolia

June 9 (Times of Malta) FMG, a specialist in emerging and frontier markets investments, is organising a conference on Mongolia, as part of the run-up to a five-day investor trip to the country in September.

FMB launched its Mongolia Fund a year ago and has now issued an in-depth report about investing in the country.

Link to article

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Economy

Mogi: backwater of Mongolia huh? Ooooook.

Tony Blair strikes gold in Mongolia

Tony Blair has added a new country to his portfolio of multi-million-pound business interests — the mineral-rich backwater of Mongolia.

June 9 (The Telegraph) The former prime minister has negotiated a contract to advise the Mongolian government just as the country strikes it rich from a vast copper and gold mine in the Gobi desert.

The Sunday Telegraph can disclose that Mr Blair spent two days in March in Ulaanbataar (Mogi: Ulaanbaatar please), Mongolia's capital, striking the deal with the country's president and prime minister.

His diplomatic skills will be needed in a country undergoing a rapid economic transformation. The Mongolian government has been in dispute with Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining conglomerate, over the operation of the country's biggest mine. Sources have suggested Mr Blair was called in to mediate between the two although Mr Blair and Rio Tinto both denied that last night.

The addition of Mongolia to Mr Blair's portfolio will bolster the income of Mr Blair's Government Advisory Practice, which operates as part of Tony Blair Associates, "the umbrella organisation" for Mr Blair's "commercial operations".

Sunday Telegraph investigations have shown Mr Blair and a team of consultants are now paid millions of pounds to advise governments in Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Colombia, Brazil and has a deal to work in Albania as well.

It is estimated that Mr Blair, who owns eight homes in the UK, has earned in the region of £50 million since leaving Downing Street in 2007. He makes his money through his consultancy work, speeches and paid posts with JP Morgan, the investment bank, among others. Mr Blair points out a large amount of his money is ploughed back into philanthropic work including two international charities he set up after leaving office.

Mr Blair refuses to reveal the full extent of his government consultancy empire but the deal in oil- and gas-rich Kazakhstan alone is said to be worth as much as £13 million. No figure has ever been confirmed. The Mongolian deal is also likely to be lucrative given that the country is about to cash in on a mining bonanza. The country is now being referred to in some circles as Minegolia.

Mongolia, wedged between Russia and China, has a population of only three million (Mogi: little less than 2.9m) – almost half of whom have abandoned their traditional yurts for life in Ulaanbaatar. But it is three times the size of France and, with a booming mineral-rich economy, is predicted to grow by 15 per cent this year alone. (Mogi: WB revised down estimates to 13%)

Mr Blair travelled with his entourage to Ulaanbataar on March 22nd for a two-day visit. He was accompanied on the trip by John Grogan, a former Labour MP for Selby and who is now chairman of the Mongolian-British Chamber of Commerce. During the trip, Mr Blair met with Tsakhia Elbegdorj, the Mongolian president, as well as its prime minister Altankhuyag Norov.

It is understood that a deal was put in place for Mr Blair and his team to provide a consultancy service although it is likely to kick in after elections at the end of this month.

A senior Mongolian official confirmed that Mr Blair had pitched his firm's services to the government during the visit in March. The official said: "He offered technical assistance to the Cabinet Secretary for his delivery unit concept. That's from his years as prime minister, a structure to implement policy reforms".

The official said the matter will be discussed again after June 26, which is the date set for presidential elections. Mr Elbegdorj is expected to win easily.

During his visit Mr Blair told the local media: "This is my first visit to Mongolia, and I hope this visit will not be my last visit to Mongolia. Mongolia has many attractive things. As I served as the PM of Great Britain for ten years I am ready to share my experience and to cooperate with Mongolia."

Stephan Kriesel, the head of Mr Blair's Government Advisory Practice, is already preparing for his move to Mongolia. About three months ago, Mr Kriesel joined the internet group 'Expats in Mongolia' on the social networking site Facebook.

'Expats in Mongolia' is billed as an 'Online social community for expats in Mongolia'. The administrator of the site Ihab Aziz said it was mainly aimed at sharing interests and news of activities in Mongolia. Mr Aziz said he screens members before admitting them into the group by sending messages to people whose profiles don't make it clear they live or work in Mongolia.

"I only accept people that have real interests in Mongolia. People who live in the country, people who want to come to the country, and people who want to conduct business here. It's for people with a general interest," said Mr Aziz.

Tony Blair Associates posted an advert in The Economist magazine in April seeking recruits to its Government Advisory Practice both in Asia and in South America. "We seek Project leaders and Consultants to join our organisation to work on projects in Asia and Latin America, serving clients at the highest level of government.

"The team will drive strategy, policy and implementation workstreams, by compiling analyses, developing politically feasible recommendations, and working with stakeholders to translate these into action."

Last night a spokesman for Mr Blair said: "We will be working with the Mongolian Government, helping them deliver their reform programme."

But the spokesman insisted Mr Blair's company would not make millions of pounds of profit. The spokesman said: "The cost of the programme is to cover a full time, highly qualified team living and working in the country. It is done on the same basis as the many other consultants that work there."

One possible item on Mr Blair's agenda is the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper mine, in the southern Gobi desert about 350 miles south of the capital.

One of the world's biggest copper mines, it is two-thirds owned by Turquoise Hill Resources, a company in turn 51 per cent owned by the Anglo-Australian mining conglomerate Rio Tinto, and one third owned by the Mongolian government.

The partners fell out at the beginning of the year over allegedly spiralling costs and the Mongolian government had threatened to take full control of the mine (Mogi: not even the slightest of truth in this) , which has cost at least £4 billion to develop.

The mine, discovered in 2001, is due to begin exporting copper later this month. Reserves are estimated at 27 million pounds of copper and 13 million ounces of gold and when it is fully operational, it will boost the country's economy by a third.

But in February, President Elbegdorj threatened Rio Tinto's huge investment. "The time has come for the Mongolian government to take Oyu Tolgoi matters into its own hands," he said in a televised address to the nation (Mogi: while what he said might be literally translated into this, what he meant was to take its control over its 34% stake, and it was not an address to the nation but the parliament). A few days later, Rio Tinto's bank accounts were briefly frozen.

On February 14, Rio Tinto's chief executive Sam Walsh admitted: "I'm concerned by recent political signals within Mongolia calling into question some aspects of the investment agreement. This undermines the partnership we've built and the stability on which a project of this size and scale depends."

Sources had suggest Mr Blair was roped in to help resolve the dispute. Mr Blair has made a career post Downing Street offering himself out as a trouble shooter. Last year, he is reported to have earned a little over £500,000 for work as mediator between commodity traders Glencore, the Qatari prime minister and mining company Xstrata in merger talks that led to the creation of the world's biggest mining and commodity conglomerate.

A Mongolian source said: "As I understand it, Rio Tinto hired Mr Blair to come in to give a lesson on 'respecting' contracts."

A source with knowledge of the mining industry said: "Tony Blair flew to Mongolia to troubleshoot on Rio Tinto's behalf with the government."

The day before the trip Robert Court, Rio Tinto's global head of external affairs, had spoken at a Cambridge University seminar on Mongolia with Mr Grogan where the subject, according to attendees, of Mr Blair's imminent visit had been raised.

Last week, Mr Court said: "I am going to frustrate you a bit. I would rather check back with other people [before commenting]."

Yesterday, a Rio Tinto spokesman said Mr Blair had not been involved in any mediation or negotiations between the company and the Mongolian government.

Mr Blair's spokesman also denied any involvement. "We have not been involved in any dispute between Rio Tinto and the Government," he said in a statement.

Link to article

 

Mongolia: Dip in demand hits growth

June 7 (Oxford Business Group) Concerns that falling demand for coal from China and a decline in commodity prices could weigh on Mongolia's resource-related boom look to have been realised, at least in part, with figures for the first quarter of 2013 showing growth more than halved over the same period the year before.

According to data from the National Statistical Office (NSO), published in mid-May, Mongolia's GDP growth for the first quarter reached just 7.2%, significantly lower than the 16.7% posted for the same period last year. Exports were also down for the first four months of 2013, dropping 5.5% year-on-year (y-o-y). Overseas sales of coal, which dominates exports, fell to 5m tonnes, down from 5.3m recorded for the same period in 2012.

Demand for coal and other fuels in China, the primary buyer of Mongolia's mining exports, has declined as electricity consumption has fallen and steps have been taken to make more use of alternative energy sources. Hydropower output in China jumped 22% in the first three months of the year. Exports were also hit as the state-owned Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi suspended shipments of coal from the huge Tavan Tolgoi mine between January and April.

Despite the fall in resource-related trade, other indicators in the NSO data suggest a more positive outlook. The foreign trade balance showed a deficit of $528.3m in the first four months of 2013, down $269m, or 33.7%, on the same period last year.

The government also recorded a fiscal surplus of MNT240.1bn ($0.168bn) for the January-April period, although the World Bank has projected that the budget deficit may reach 6% of GDP for the full year. The international lender also revised its GDP growth estimates down, saying that it is likely to be nearer 13% than the original forecast of 16.2%.

Taehuyn Lee, senior economist for the World Bank in Ulaanbaatar, said Mongolia is still likely to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. "However, high uncertainty over the economic prospects remains and it is advisable for the government to be more realistic in estimating revenue and less ambitious in spending," he told Bloomberg.

The dip comes as Mongolia pushes ahead with its efforts to restore international investor confidence. In April lawmakers approved changes to the foreign investment law, easing a restriction that any deal worth more than MNT100bn ($0.07bn), or involving the transfer of more than 49% of a Mongolian company, needed to be approved by parliament. This requirement will now apply only to state-owned entities.

These amendments could stem a decline in FDI, which fell 17% in 2012 and dropped 58% in the first two months of 2013. However, the government's on-going dispute with British-Australian mining outfit Rio Tinto may discourage investors. The Oyu Tolgoi copper mine, set to be run by Rio Tinto, is expected to produce around 450,000 tonnes of copper and 330,000 ounces of gold annually once running at full capacity.

James Liotta, a partner at law firm Mahoney Liotta LLC in Ulaanbaatar, told Bloomberg by e-mail that while the amendments were welcome, damage had been done. "[M]any investors' appetites have moved on to more stable jurisdictions," he said. "Those who are locked in are likely to take a much more conservative approach toward investing in Mongolia."

While uncertainties in the legal framework, especially when combined with a decline in demand for exports, represents a challenge in the short run, natural resources are nonetheless expected to drive growth over the next decade. Confidence in Mongolia's longer-term prospects was highlighted by the government's successful sale of $1.5bn in debt, equivalent to about 20% of GDP, in November 2012. The issuance was well-subscribed, suggesting that international investors are willing to look through short-term political and macroeconomic challenges towards Mongolia's larger potential.

Link to article

 

Cabinet approves procedures for 8% subsidized mortgages

June 4 (Business-Mongolia.com) The government approves the new long awaited mortgage procedure. The new procedure will cover apartments that are less than 80 square meters and already commissioned or old ones. The mortgage will have a AER of %8+ up to 20 years. The pre-payment will be around 10-30%. The subsidization will be coordinated by the cabinet's policy.

The government is promising that the mortgage will be available to everyone who has a permanent job that can be pay off the debt in 20 years. It will not create an oversubscription in a single bank because it will be available to any commercial bank that has an agreement with Bank of Mongolia.

The monthly payment is assumed that the it will not exceed the household income's 45%. The previous mortgage purchasers can switch to the new mortgage after 7 months.

23.8% of the country or 40% of Ulaanbaatar's population is living in a centrally heated apartments and others are living in yurts or ger districts. The person who has a knowledge with the matter stated that the mortgage will be issued within this month.

The government stated that 360 billion tugriks will be loaned out to the construction companies before the banks start issue mortgages.

President of Bank of Mongolia stated that the effect on the economy will be increased monetary circulation by 30-40% in the country. The money will be concentrated not on purchasing unnecessary goods, but into Social Insurance Fund. It will keep the price levels from raising he added.

Link to article

 

FUEL PRICES DROP MNT 50

Ulaanbaatar, June 7 /MONTSAME/ The Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag and the Minister for Mining D.Gankhuyag informed Friday that the prices of fuel have gone down by 50 togrog per liter. 

It was said during a meeting held at the fuel station of "Magnai trade" fuel-importer company.

The Prime Minister noted that this became real thanks to a "good work of the Ministry of Mining and the Petroleum Authority of Mongolia". "This will also make possible start other positive works," he added.  

G.Olziiburen, a director of the Petroleum Authority calculated that the price decrease will now let people save some four billion togrog a month.

A monthly need stands at some 80 million liters.   

Link to article

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Politics

PARLIAMENT OF MONGOLIA TAKES BREAK UNTIL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

June 7 (InfoMongolia) On June 07, 2013, the Speaker of the State Great Khural (Parliament) Z.Enkhbold issued a Decree on temporary adjourning the plenary sessions of the Parliament.

In the Decree it states that the plenary sessions scheduled on June 13 and 14, and June 20 and 21 (Thursdays and Fridays) will not take place.

The decision was made in accordance with the upcoming Presidential Election of Mongolia to be held on June 26, 2013.

Link to article

 

Former Education Minister's wife arrested over suspicious bank transactions

June 6 (news.mn) The State Investigation Department arrested the wife of the former Minister of Education, Culture and Science Yo.Otgonbayar, O.Erdenesolongo on Wednesday June 5th. 

It was revealed that O.Erdenesolongo was in possession of over 13.9 billion MNT  in a number of bank accounts of Zoos Bank, Golomt Bank and the Trade and Development Bank. Between 2009 and 2013 323 million US dollars had been withdrawn from these accounts. 

The legislature suspects the case to be worth a total of 452 billion MNT might be a case of money laundering. 

The suspect O.Erdenesolongo has claimed that she did not know about it during questioning. 

The former Education Minister`s wife has no source of finance except a four percent stake of Sky supermall. So the source of the money in her bank accounts is still uncertain. 

A joint working group of the State Investigation Department along with the Criminal Police have initiated an investigation into O.Erdenesolongo and potentially related persons. The process for the confiscation of property, search warrant for a raid and cooperation with international financial institutions has begun. It is possible that the case comes under organized crime because of the large amount of money laundering, tax avoidance and illegal capitalization.

If MP Yo.Otgonbayar is found to be involved in the money, the legislature will take action to have the MP dismissed from Parliament by delivering a request to the Prosecutor General. 

Link to article

 

Former Education Minister files lawsuit against law enforcement

June 7 (news.mn) The Former Minister of Education, Culture and Science, MP Yo.Otgonbayar, was notified about the arrest of his wife during a talk on the news program of the Mongolian National Broadcaster on June 6th. 

O.Erdenesolongo, the former Education Minister`s wife,  was arrested over possible money laundering as large sums of money were revealed in her bank accounts. 

-What have you heard about the arrest of your wife?

-I found out the same as everyone else and heard from the media. I included everything of mine and my family bank accounts properly in the official`s income and assets declaration. We have in total over 300 million MNT of savings. It is all clear in our savings book. But I do not understand why it resulted in an arrest. 

-It was reported that 323 US dollars and 13.9 billion MNT was withdrawn from your wife`s bank accounts over the past four years. What business does she run?

-My wife runs food and travel related business. It is clear that such business makes small earning. 300 million US dollars is the worth of the state budget of Mongolia in 2000. 

It is unacceptable that such an amount of money can be withdrawn in an individual`s bank account. It is pity if someone confuses the amount for US dollar instead of MNT. My wife is a citizen of Mongolia. But if there is a miscalculation over the numbers it is unforgiveable to arrest someone. 

-First your wife is connected to the case. But there is also speculation that the case might have been engaged during the period of your term as Minister?

-I am ready to be investigated. I would want an investigation according to law if there is any fault related to my work during my term as Minister. 

There have been questionings for the allegation of the misuse of the state budget for a year. If I was in fault I would have been arrested or detained. My wife has seen neither 300 million US dollars nor a million US dollars. 

-It is said that you have filed a request to see your wife. Have you received a reply?

-I arrived last night from the countryside. Today I have officially filed a request to see my wife.  Currently there has been no reply. I have filed a lawsuit in the Courts too. The legislative officers violated the law by making an illegal arrest. The investigation must be conducted according to the law. 

-You say that the legislature violated law?

-There must a reason behind arresting someone as a suspect. The legislature cheated my wife in order to bring her in for questioning. An arrest is conducted in the case of a suspect`s attempt to escape or cause a disturbance during the investigation. 

But the legislature arrested and detained my wife without checking the saving books.

Link to article

 

Request made to investigate MP, former Justice Minister Nyamdorj for possible cover-up of cases

June 5 (news.mn) Deputy Speaker, L.Tsog and MP Z.Bayanselenge, have delivered a request to the Anti Corruption Authority. 

These MPs suspect MP Ts.Nyamdorj of covering-up some cases during his term as Minister of Justice. 

MP Z.Bayanselenge said that "there are a few suspicions about the former Minister of Justice, MP Ts.Nyamdorj, that he might have concealed some cases. One example is the MIAT money laundering case.  We have submitted a request to the legislature to reveal if there are covered cases that should come to light." 

This is not the first time such a request regarding the investigation of the former Justice Minister has be presented to the Anti-Corruption Authority. 

Previously members of the Community Board of the Anti-Corruption Authority requested that the Authority investigate the former Justice Minister, Ts.Nyamdorj, claiming he made some local governors` cases vanish and rejected MP Kh.Battulga`s lawsuit during his term as Justice Minister. 

Link to article

 

Udval Election Platform

June 9 (Julian Dierkes, Mongolia Focus) Speculation about some kind of Udval retreat notwithstanding, based on information contributed by and co-written with Brian White at The Mongolist, we discuss Udval's election platform here.

Broad Goals

Similar to the other candidates, Minister of Health N Udval intends to fight corruption, reform the judiciary, reduce partisan influence and improve services in governance, protect the environment, make effective use of natural resources, reduce alcoholism, promote investment in schools and hospitals, and continue a foreign policy of good relations with Russia and China and an active courting of "third neighbours."

Local participation in governments is one of the areas that is addressed by all candidates, including Udval who is calling for the direct election of provincial and city governors (who are currently elected by local parliaments). Udval also emphasizes improvements to the election law. She would like proportional representation introduced to Mongolia's electoral system (presumably to replace the current mix of proportional and direct election ridings), and she intends to fight electoral fraud and corruption.

In terms of social issues, she emphasizes the need to improve health care, reduce domestic violence, and increase education opportunities in a less business oriented way than her opponents. She also supports a transition to hourly wages instead of the current standard of monthly salaries for most workers. She has a rather strident position on tightening the criminal code to put more people behind bars. On security issues she describes herself as a "security watchdog" who will put the country first.

"Five Dangers" and Twenty-Five Policies

Udval starts her platform by outlining "five dangers" she'll address as president: 1. Economic dependence and insecurity from foreign influence and domestic corruption, 2. Degradation and exploitation of the working class 3. Divided government characterized by partisan graft and patronage, 4. Degradation of the environment and society, and 5. Lack of faith in a corrupted judiciary and press. The other two candidates have similar assessments of the economic and social challenges facing the country, but their approaches are different. Elbegdorj addresses them less directly in the body of his platform without a point-by-point list of challenges. Bat-Erdene outlines a list of challenges in the opening of his platform just like Udval but with a slightly softer tone and not nearly as extensively as her.

The rest of her platform is divided into five broad policy positions with five issues each, making a total of twenty-five policy points. The structure of the policy areas does not appear to exactly mirror the five dangers portion of the platform, and presumably it is left to voters to make the connections between specific policy prescriptions such as supporting an independent press or improving the conditions of the border protection force and any of the five dangers.

The five broad policy positions are:

1.    The basis of Mongolian political policy is the Mongolian people,

2.    Provide for citizens equally, offer welfare with a mother's heart, and maintain the national security,

3.    Make the national security "watchdogs" work

4.    Protect and bind the state's independence through economic means, and

5.    Improve the national justice system.

A Latecomer to Social Media

The imagery of the campaign website is difficult to classify. The first noticeable element of the website is the heavy emphasis on social media. Udval's Twitter feed takes up the right quarter of the homepage (not the campaign platform page).

This is somewhat surprising as Udval has not been an active tweeter until the beginning of the campaign, having posted a mere 120 messages as of June 9 and gathered not even 450 followers. Even Bat-Erdene, who has also not been terribly active, has tweeted over 700 times and has over 9,000 followers, while Elbegdorj occasionally gets involved in Twitter discussions and has over 60,000 followers. Many of Udval's tweets thus far also merely lead to photographs or videos rather than engaging potential voters on policy issues, making the prominence of the Twitter feed on the home page an odd choice.

While the front page shows Udval in a traditional deel, further photographs show her primarily at work in business suits.

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Business

Mongolian miners' operation at Tavan Tolgoi may foil int'l bidding

June 8 (Kyodo) Mongolia's state-run coal miner plans to start mining operations at the country's Tavan Tolgoi coal mine, a move that would raise uncertainty over the international bidding for rights to develop one of the world's largest coal deposits.

Yaichil Batsuuri, chief executive officer of Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi LLC, told Kyodo News on Saturday that the miner plans to start and continue operations at the mine with other Mongolian companies until the selection of a successful bidder.

Batsuuri said the Mongolian government has approved the tentative operation by the Mongolian companies and that they plan to produce 2.6 million tons of coal by the end of this year.

The operation could start as early as this month, and the coal produced is expected to be exported to China.

The Mongolian side has apparently chosen to prioritize early development of the mine instead of waiting for the completion of the international bidding.

But concerns are spreading over how the operation by the Mongolian side on its own would affect the bidding procedure. An official at a Japanese company said the move may lead to cancellation of the international bidding.

The bidding procedure for the Tavan Tolgoi mine began in December 2010, and the major Japanese trading houses Itochu Corp. and Marubeni Corp. are among the bidders.

Link to article

 

Tavan Tolgoi Trans & Mongol 999 shortlisted for West Tsankhi one year contract mining

June 3 (Business-Mongolia.com) Bid was announced on operating West Tsankhi of Tavan Tolgoi coking coal mine and the deadline was on 31st of May. Number of companies and incorporates submitted their interested to Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC. The companies include – Mongol 999 National Unity, Tavan Tolgoi Trans, Khishig Arvin Industrial, Mongolian National Miner, MERA – Mongolian miners cooperation, Absolute Mining, Eibir Digm Mongol Last, Monlaa. The materials submitted by Absolute Mining, Eibir Digm Mongol Last, and Monlaa were not satisfactory to the bid committee. One of the remaining two incorporates will win the bid. These are Tavan Tolgoi Trans and Mongol 999 National Unity.

Erdenes TT JSC resumed their operation on 23rd of April mining from its East Tsankhi. The East Tsankhi coal is being exported to Chalco, China. After the bid the West Tsankhi will be operational with the planned 2 million ton coking coal to be mined this year that could find a different customer. Thus, Erdenes TT JSC will have a chance to solve the financial difficulties sooner.

Speculation was around that Peabody Energy would be the operator of West Tsankhi. The bid contract is for one year possibly causing the big miners to be uninterested in committing for such a short period of time. The remaining two incorporates are both national companies. Mongol 999 National Unity operates in Tavan Tolgoi JSC's mine site (Commonly known as small TT). Tavan Tolgoi Trans is a daughter company of Ajnai corporation.

Link to article

 

Mogi: looks like Japan Times hasn't published that interview yet

DEPUTY MINING MINISTER ERDENEBULGAN GIVES INTERVIEW TO JAPAN TIMES

Ulaanbaatar, June 3 /MONTSAME/ The Vice Minister of Mining O.Erdenbulgan has given an interview to the Japanese famous "The Japan times" journal. 

He has answered question about Mongolia's mining sector, raw materials processing, policy on manufacturing value-added products, investments in mining sector.

He said that the mining sphere's impact on Mongolian social and economy life is increasing every year, for example, it made up 18 percents of GDP, 67.1 percent of the total industrial output and 89.2 percent of total export product last year. "We do not discriminate investors by foreign or domestic. Foreign investors have been working in geological research, mining process and manufacturing," he stressed. 

Then he underlined that "we are creating economic and legal environment in the new nontraditional sectors like petroleum, rare earth elements for increasing export products." 

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MOVENPICK SIGNS MANAGEMENT DEAL WITH JIGUUR GRAND TO OPEN ITS SWISS 5-STAR HOTEL CHAIN IN ULAANBAATAR

June 7 (InfoMongolia) Authorities of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, a Swiss 5-star hotel chain and Mongolian "Jiguur Grand" Group have established a Management Agreement in Ulaanbaatar on June 06, 2013.

Parties were represented by Vice President Development for Asia Pacific at Movenpick Hotels & Resorts Jens O. Reichert and President of "Jiguur Grand" Group D.Battur.

"Jiguur Grand" Group President D.Battur said, "New International Airport in Mongolia will be operational by 2016, accordingly a new milestone in tourism sector will be emerging. By the time our new Movenpick Hotel will be also opening its doors and we glad the Swiss service and quality is entering into Mongolia".

On the other hand, Vice President for Asia Jens Reichert noted, "We operate 70 hotels around the world under 5-star resort hotels and currently 36 properties are under construction, in addition the 37th will constructed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. We always follow our primary policy to maintain environmental issues in each country opened".

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Mogi: I'm always skeptical of these type of paid reports, says it'll cost you $500. But wouldn't a local insurer be better equipped to write these? $500? There must a market for this then.

Trends and Opportunities in the Mongolian Non-Life Insurance Industry to 2017: Market Profile

May 9 (Timetric) "Trends and Opportunities in the Mongolian Non-Life Insurance Industry to 2017: Market Profile" is the result of extensive research into the insurance industry, covering the non-life insurance market in Mongolia. The report provides data on key industry trends, market drivers and challenges for the Mongolian insurance industry. It also provides growth prospects for the non-life insurance market in Mongolian for the following categories: 

* Property insurance 
* Motor insurance 
* Liability insurance 
* Marine, aviation and transit insurance 

Scope 

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the insurance industry in Mongolia: 

* It provides historical values for the Mongolian non-life insurance market for the report's 2008-2012 review period and forecast figures for the 2012-2017 forecast period 
* It offers a detailed analysis of the key sub-segments in the Mongolian non-life insurance market, along with market forecasts until 2017 
* It covers an exhaustive list of parameters, including written premium, paid claims, incurred loss, loss ratio, combined ratio, total assets and retentions 

Full Report Details at - http://www.fastmr.com/prod/599028_trends_and_opportunities_in_the_mongolian_nonlife.aspx?afid=301  

Reasons to Get this Report 

* Make strategic business decisions using in depth historic and forecast market data related to the Mongolian insurance industry 
* Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities within the Mongolian non-life insurance market 
* Gain insights into key regulatory policies governing the Mongolian insurance market 

Link to release

 

Mogi: good news! Ummm, I mean, this is baaad, baaad, :D.

Clubs to stay open till 3am on Thursday-Saturday, alcohol serving hours remain till midnight

June 4 (Business-Mongolia.com) Recenty, Ulaanbaatar City Government made changes to the city's shops and other service industry participants' working hour rules. Closing hours for the clubs were 12.00 am before and now it changed to 3.00 am from Thursday to Saturday. However, the alcohol serving hours remain till 12.00 AM. For the rest of the days of the week permit is from 3 pm to 12.00. These changes came after the many of city's young citizens asked for longer working hours for clubs.

Canteens and cafes' working hour is from 9 am to 8 pm in the winter and 8 am to 10 pm in the summer. Grocery shops are to work from 9 am to 10 pm in the winter and 8 am to 10 pm in the summer.

Banks, pharmacies, and gas stations can work for 24 hours. However, they will have to have a unified sign outside their building that is visible and recognizable. The 24 hour fast food shops will be open from 7 am to 3 am. The new rule is effective from 3rd of June, 2013.

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Diplomacy

Malaysia: The Mongolian murder has shamed our nation

June 8 (Malaysiakini) The large group of Mongolian women citizens, who are in town attending the Global Summit of Women in Kuala Lumpur conference, have showcased their national plight to the world what we caring Malaysians have repeatedly failed in ensuring justified redress. 

The story of the slain Altantuya Shaariibuu has now snowballed into the biggest insult to our nation, its citizens and our revered Agong owing to the government's failure in ensuring that speedy and transparent justice is dispensed with. 

In damaging our national reputation and the integrity of justice, we have seen shame assaulting our sovereign nation. 

Who's to blame for this national curse?

To begin with has our prime minister failed in his appointment? To complicate matters Najib Razak was - rightly or wrongly, also implicated and the citizens have not forgotten his text messages to Razak Baginda.

We also do not dismiss the facts alluding to the brutal, gruesome and most attrocious murder - the deletion of immigration records; the use of the tightly controlled explosives C4; and the dismissal of motive as not crucial to this case. 

We have not forgotten the reported involvement of security personnel who are also the deputy prime minister's bodyguards; we remember them as they are still awaiting appeal on death row and and had walked into the court room, strangely, hooded.

Millions for one deal

Then there is the serious national security matter - a foreign national was involved (to what extent only Najib, Razak Baginda and God know), in our nation's confidential arms purchase. 

And an ordinary citizen pocketed millions in commission for the role he played in securing the deal. 

All of these add to the serious disrepute and shame that now clouds our national integrity and all of its institutions. Is this then not an insult to our Ruler?

If you disagree please enlighten this nation of ours.

Never mind for the time being the two Statutory declarations by the late PI Bala; never mind, too, for the time being, about the now missing-in-action carpet dealer's seeming confessions in public.

Malaysians suffer terribly from this most embarrassing development - to be told by women from Mongolia how justice has not been dispensed for the slain mother and woman despite its highest profile and seven years since.

Is this case in question not an insult to our Agong we also ask our respected IGP who recently warned citizens who insulted the Agong on the social media to surrender.

Must not forget Altantuya case

Have we citizens no more 'maruah' and conscience left as we go about our social and economic pledges and political promises to lead this nation onwards?

And are we so incapacitated that we from civil society and professional groups as well as religious organisations helplessly remain hopeless in restoring the dignity and respect that this nation deserves?

This Altantuya case cannot be left to be buried in time. It has to the nation's number priority for the murder has destroyed the nation's integrity and honor in the liberating space of the global community.

The very fundamental and universal principle of justice on earth, i.e., that no man has the right to take the life of another without accounting for the heinous act demands immediate justice to be dispensed without fear or favor.Who then will and can ensure that Altantuya is laid to rest with full accord of justice that is universally acceptable and reasonable beyond doubt?

If this case is not resting on the lap of the prime minister of this country, then whose else should shoulder this burden?

Or shall we just carry on with life without a damn care about this shame that hangs over our entire nation and instead just pin all blame on the opposition political leaders for being such busybodies?

Link to article

 

NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 265: Mongolian Ambassador Attends DPRK-Mongolia Friendship Labor Event

*** CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW

SEOUL, June 6 (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronological review of major developments related to North Korea from May 30-June 5, 2013.

May 30 -- Mongolian Ambassador Manibadrakh Ganbold and staff members of his embassy in Pyongyang participate in "friendship labor" at the DPRK (North Korea)-Mongolia Friendship Jongbang Co-op Farm in Sariwon City, North Hwanghae Province.

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Canada to issue long term multiple entries visa for Mongolians

June 7 (news.mn) The Foreign Minister L.Bold received the Ambassador from Canada to Mongolia, Gregory Goldhawk, upon his own request at the State Award Hall of Government House on June 7th. 

During the talks Ambassador Gregory Goldhawk announced that the Canadian Government has reached a decision to issue up to a 10 year visa for a civilian with an ordinary Mongolian passport and a four year multiple entry visa for officials with diplomatic passports. The Ambassador presented the official notice to Foreign Minister L.Bold. 

Minister L.Bold stated that the reformist Government focuses on easing Mongolians' travel conditions and permissions abroad and expressed gratitude that the Canadian Government has made such an important decision that is suited to the Government`s policy. 

Ambassador Gregory Goldhawk stressed that as Ambassador to Mongolia he is happy to see the number of Mongolians who head to Canada has increased year on year particularly the number and the quality of Mongolian students has risen. He added that the decision to issue Mongolian people with long term multiple entries visas is an important step to allowing the people from the two countries to travel to one another's country without a visa. 

Both side emphasized the visit by the Mongolia Speaker to Canada in March. They commented that it took place at a good time and expressed satisfaction about the implementation of issues talked during the visit. 

During the meeting in March there were discussions on taking measures to increase bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. 

This year Canada and Mongolia will celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations and the fifth years since the establishment of the Canadian resident Embassy in Ulaanbaatar. 

Link to article

 

Mongolia Parliament approves opening embassies in Jakarta, Brazil and reopening Kabul

June 7 (news.mn) he Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy praised a draft protocol on the establishment and replacement of diplomatic offices in some countries during a regular meeting on June 6th

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, L.Bold, said that there are many issues of priority for the foreign policy of Mongolia including the countries influences, reputation and prominence in the region, the volume of business, economic relations with Mongolia, the number of Mongolian residents and passengers between the two countries. These matters were given high consideration when choosing the countries in which to reopen and establish a consulate or consulate general. 

The draft protocol contained the items to reopen the Embassies in Jakarta in the Republic of Indonesia, Brasнlia in Brazil, Kabul in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and to establish a Consulate General in Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Republic, a Consulate in Hailaar in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People"s Republic of China and Pusan in the Republic of Korea. 

There were no changes or complaints regarding the draft protocol so the Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy is to submit it to a plenary session meeting of Parliament for discussion.

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Social, Environmental and Other

1.6 billion MNT budget approved for Naadam instead of proposed 50 billion MNT

June 7 (news.mn) The Organizing Committee of Naadam held a meeting today on June 7th. 

The Committee discussed the issues around the planned preparation works and expenses for the big days of the National Celebration. 

According to estimates suggested by the sub-organizing committees the expenses for the big event are though to be around 1.6 billion MNT on the State Central Stadium furnishing and other services. 

The suggestion needs to be approved by the Government first.  The budget for the preparation work for Naadam might be cut or even added to depending on the Government`s decision. 

The estimated 1.6 billion MNT budget for Naadam is 700 million MNT more than last years Naadam budget.

Over 50 billion MNT has been planned for the National Celebration this year. But such a large sum has caused public debate since the first meeting by the Organizing Committee of Naadam on May 29th. 

Officials explain that the planned 50 billion MNT will be spent on re-construction and furnishing in Khui doloon khudag. 

This year the 2222nd  anniversary of the Hun Empire, the 807th  anniversary of the Great Mongol Empire and the 92nd anniversary of the People`s Revolution will be marked all over in Mongolia. 

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Mongolia hosts World Environment Day to highlight sustainable future

June 6 (TreeHugger) World Environment Day was held on June 5, 2013 and I was in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for the official launch of the event. The United Nations Environment Programme selected Mongolia as the host country for WED2013 and for the past few days I've been fortunate enough to see some of the many reasons why.

To understand what makes Mongolia special in 2013, it is important to understand its past. Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in the 13th century and is still talked about today, but for much of the previous 100 years, Mongolia was controlled by communists, only seeing their own revolution in 1990 after the fall of the Soviet Union.

As its neighbor to the south, China, has undergone rapid development in recent years, Mongolia, now with a market economy and multi-party parliamentary political system, has found itself in a unique opportunity to develop incredibly rapidly. With rapid development, however, can come rapid pollution, environmental degradation and climate change inducing carbon emissions. The question that has UNEP, the United Nations Development Programme, and investors, businesses and environmental groups interested is what kind of development will Mongolia choose?

From what UNEP and the Mongolian leaders have said and shown the world this week, right now the answer is thankfully green, sustainable development.

Mongolia President Elbegdorj Tsakhia, who was honored at WED2012 as a UNEP Champion of the Earth, spoke about how hosting WED2013 was an opportunity to introduce Mongolia to the world.

He insisted that the idea that development is a choice between what is good for the economy or good for the environment is a false one.

Tsakhia highlighted the long tradition of respect for the environment among Mongolians, including their reverence for mountains and the land and worship of the sky and heavens. He expressed concerns about how climate change was increasing desertification and how pasture grazing was degrading the land, as some 40 million head of livestock live off of land that should support just 30 million. He noted how mining and exploration licenses had been reduced from covering 46 percent of Mongolia to just 12 percent. 

And he demanded that the parliament finalize Mongolia's national park policy to adopt best practices from the United States' park program.

Charles Akhimien, the winner of the TreeHugger and UNEP blogging contest, also wrote a nice recap of the President's speech and other events of the day. 

Following the president's speech, we were invited to the top of the State Palace to see a ceremonial ger or yurt that the president uses for important meetings. While the additional things he said during that short meeting were interesting, I was most struck by the fact such a meeting place even existed. It was a stunning room and it helped me appreciate how important the nomadic herder lifestyle, which is dependent upon and centered around the ger, is to Mongolians. Understanding this, it helped me see why Mongolia is so committed to making their development future as sustainable as possible.

I will be writing more in a few days about the concrete steps Mongolia is taking to execute on this vision for sustainable development, including the launch of the first wind farm in the country and an important animal reintroduction project that is helping to strengthen a part of Mongolian culture.

Link to article

 

UN and Mongolia Announce Major Partnership during World Environment Day

Mongolia is developing policies on sustainable mining, renewable energy and ecotourism that will place it on a green development path

World's Fastest-Growing Economy Joins Partnership for Action on the Green Economy

Ulaanbaatar, 5 June 2013 (UNEP) - The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Wednesday announced that Mongolia would be one of the first countries in the Partnership for Action on the Green Economy (PAGE)-a major new initiative to assist the global transition to a green economy.

Speaking during celebrations of World Environment Day in Ulaanbaatar-the capital of this year's host nation-UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said the Mongolian government was committed to ensuring green and sustainable growth.

The initiative between UNEP, the UN Industrial Development Organization, the UN Institute for Training and Research and the International Labour Organization is a direct response to the outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Brazil last June. It will initially focus on seven pilot countries and then expand to assist 30 countries by 2020.

"PAGE brings together the UN system to comprehensively assist pioneering countries in their ambition to move their economies into the sustainability space," he said. "It envisions-through policy switches and inspirational initiatives-a development path that lifts people out of poverty, generates growth and creates jobs in a way that respects and prizes the environment and cultural, traditional values."

Mongolia is developing policies on sustainable mining, renewable energy and ecotourism that will place it on a green development path.

"Environmental issues have been high on the priority agenda for Mongolia," said Environment and Green Development Minister Sanjaasuren Oyun. "For the last seven or eight years we have had great growth, from 8-15 per cent, and it is important that we build in good basics of green growth and green economy."

UNEP plans to engage Mongolia on a host of other issues, including climate change. Mongolia's 2.1 degree centigrade rise in temperature over the last 70 years has led to drier conditions and degradation of pasture land, placing pressure on traditional herder communities.

"Mongolia's experience needs to be better understood and responded to by the international community at the upcoming UN climate convention meeting in Warsaw and beyond," said Mr. Steiner. "This is an issue around which civil society can unite with international organizations given the links here to fragile ecosystems, forestry, water supplies, mining eco-tourism and energy."

World Environment Day aims to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action, and this year was themed around the UNEP and UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) campaign Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint, which is aimed at slashing food waste.

Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced ends up spoiling in the bins of consumers, retailers, farmers and transporters. This 1.3 billion tonnes, worth around US$1 trillion, is enough to feed the 870 million people who go hungry each day several times over.

Mongolia held a week of events to mark WED, including International Children's Day celebrations and the Ulaanbaatar Marathon-which was attended by world marathon record holder and UNEP Clean Air Patron Patrick Makau.

The government also showcased its traditional culture and ecotourism aspirations in Khustai National Park. 21 years ago to the day, the Takhi (or Przewalski) horse was reintroduced to the park from captive-bred Dutch stock after becoming extinct in its native land.

There are now over 280 of the horses living wild in the park, drawing in 9,000 foreign tourists each year.

Mr. Steiner was invited to name a newborn horse, and called her Tunza-a Swahili word meaning 'to treat with care and affection' that is also the name of UNEP's youth programme.

Millions Celebrate Across Globe

WED is a global celebration, and millions were engaged through events on the ground and a WED Thunderclap-a social media tool that allows users to simultaneously send out a message backing a cause. The Thunderclap reached over 31 million people.

Events were registered in over 70 countries, with close to a million participants organizing conferences, rallies, campaigns and contests themed around food waste.

Some highlights of the global celebrations include:

·         An event in Kenya organized by singing star Suzanna Owiyo, a national UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, that sees prominent women swap places with vendors in a market to show their appreciation of the vendors' role in minimizing food waste;

·         A series of roundtables and conference on key sustainability issues organized in Florence, Italy, by Earth Day Italia;

·         In Australia, the University of New South Wales is hosting a debate with political, academic and social leaders, Oz Harvest and UNEP on what's wrong-and what could be right-about food, waste and our future;

·         From Bangalore to Chennai in India, tens of thousands of young people are taking part in runs, awareness-raising events and tree-planting ceremonies to highlight the issue of food waste and other pressing environmental concerns;

·         In China, Tongji University in Shanghai's International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) is coinciding with the global WED event on and around 5 June, bringing in hundreds of students from around the globe;

·         In Mexico, the new edition of the International Poster Biennial is being launched during one of the events celebrating WED in Mexico. The environmental category will be themed on Think.Eat.Save;

·         The City of Portland, Oregon will host this year's North American WED celebrations, and is hosting an international children's painting competition as well as focusing the Rose Festival Parade in honour of WED.

Link to release

 

ULAANBAATAR DECLARATION BECOMES OFFICIAL DOCUMENT OF UN

Ulaanbaatar, 4 /MONTSAME/ The Ulaanbaatar Declaration has been turned into the official document of the 67th session of the United Nation General Assembly and the 23rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The UB Declaration was released by the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies (CoD) which ran April 27-29 in Ulaanbaatar. It has been delivered to all member nations.

It reflects matters on strengthening the CoD's role in the UN, forwarding democratic goals within the UNGA, UNHRC and other related organizations, and on cooperating with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Foundation for Democracy and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).

In a scope of the CoD, Mongolia also adopted by the UNGA a resolution on the Education for Democracy which focuses on fortifying the democratic society and institutions, on ensuring human rights and on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It helped the CoD to gain a status of observer at the UNGA. 

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Photos: Endangered Przewalski's horse in Mongolia

June 7 (Xinhua) Rare Mongolian Przewalski's horses are seen on the grassland at the Hustai National Park in Mongolia, on June 5, 2013. Przewalski's horse is a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of central Asia, specifically Mongolia. At one time extinct in the wild, it has been reintroduced to its native habitat in Mongolia and their number has now increased to over 280 at the Hustai National Park. 

Link to photo album

 

2 Mongolians awarded €6,500 refunds by court over Ireland study visa problems

June 6 (Independent.ie) TWO Mongolian office clerks who each paid The Eurocollege Institute of Education €6,500 before discovering they could not obtain visas to study in Ireland, have been awarded judgments against the college.

Barrister John Nolan told the Circuit Civil Court today that since paying each student a €1,000 cash refund and entering a one-line defence to legal proceedings, there had been no response from the Dublin-based college. 

He said Mr Dorj Odsaikhan and Ms Ariunzaya Ayush, both of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, had in 2011 bought €6,500 educational courses from The Eurocollege Institute subject to their obtaining visas to study in Ireland. 

When their applications for visas were refused they had asked the college, which operates from a unit in Parnell Court, Granby Row, Dublin, to refund the money. 

Mr Nolan said the refusal of visas prevented the students from entering the country either to study or attend court and they had asked Shane Carty of Kent Carty solicitors to process legal proceedings. 

"College CEO Shirley Hastings informed Kent Carty that the course fees would be refunded, apologised for any delay and stated the college had no intention of stealing the money," Mr Nolan said. 

Someone, purporting to represent the college, had in 2012, turned up at Kent Carty's offices with refunds of €1,000 cash in each case. This had been followed by the entry of one-line defences denying that €6,500 was owed by the college to each of the students.  

There was no representative on behalf of the college in court and Judge Jacqueline Linnane granted Mr Odsaikhan and Ms Ayush summary judgment for €5,500 each, with Circuit Court costs, against the college.

Link to article

 

Amateur Radio Direction Finding event in Mongolia

June 9 (Southgate Amateur Radio News) Bat-Erdene Zevgee JT1CS reports on an Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) event held in Mongolia.

On the first weekend in June, the Mongolian Radio Sport Federation(MRSF) organized the first ARDF event of 2013.

"Spring Leader" ARDF 144MHz was for young and new ARDFers. Taking part in the event were 32 male and female contestants with 9 referees.

We are training new and older ARDFers between Events using the equipment that STARS purchased for us for. This year we are planning to send several ARDFers to S. Korea for Championship this September. 
And we will lend our receivers for free to those who will participate in the event.

STARS Project in Mongolia: http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=704:stars-project-in-mongolia

Source: IARU Region 1: http://www.iaru-r1.org/

Mongolian Radio Sport Federation (MRSF): http://www.mrsf.mn/

Mongolian Amateur Radio Society (MARS): http://www.qsl.net/jt1kaa/

In 2012 Neil Melville PA9N drove from London to Ulan Bator (Ulaanbaatar) in Mongolia. The blog of his journey is at https://sites.google.com/site/theuncertaintyprinciple42/blog

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Mogi Munkhdul Badral Bontoi

Founder & CEO

Email: mogi@covermongolia.mn

Mobile: +976 9999 6779

Skype: mogibb

P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

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