DTN News - DISPUTED EAST CHINA SEA REGION SENKAKU / DIAOYU ISLANDS: Japan Seeks Mongolia Support In China Island Row

DTN News - DISPUTED EAST CHINA SEA REGION SENKAKU / DIAOYU ISLANDS: Japan Seeks Mongolia Support In China Island Row

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Global Post
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 31, 2013: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sought support from Mongolia on Saturday in Tokyo's territorial row with Beijing over disputed East China Sea islands, during a visit to the country.

Abe arrived in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator seeking closer trade and diplomatic ties with the mineral-rich nation, a potentially important strategic partner due to its location on China's northern border and diplomatic ties with North Korea.

"I asked for Mongolian support relating to the Chinese situation and Mongolia expressed its understanding of the Japanese position," Abe said in response to questions from journalists about the islands Japan claims as the Senkakus and China as the Diaoyus.

"I understand the Mongolian situation regarding this issue," he added, at a press conference which followed meetings with Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj and Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag.

Japan's hawkish leader, who has not held summit meetings with Chinese leaders since he took power in December, also said "the door is open for talks" with China.

On the first of his two-day visit, Abe also discussed North Korea's nuclear ambitions with Mongolia. Pyongyang on Saturday declared it was in a "state of war" with South Korea, warning Seoul and Washington that any provocation would swiftly escalate into an all-out nuclear conflict.

The provocative language follows weeks of dire-sounding pronouncements from the North that have fuelled international concerns that the situation might spiral out of control.

"I explained the Japanese position that the North Korean actions are provocation and we never accept them," Abe said.

During the visit, the first by a Japanese prime minister to Mongolia in nearly seven years, Abe is also aiming to develop closer economic ties with the country.

"During the talks I specifically mentioned expanding economic relations between the two countries," Abe said.

Mongolia has huge mineral deposits at its disposal, and Japan is aiming to secure more fuel resources abroad after its atomic power plans were affected following the Fukushima nuclear crisis, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

"As Mongolia is rich in natural resources, Japan's technological cooperation will lead to a win-win for both countries," Abe said, according to Kyodo news agency.

China is Mongolia's leading trade partner and source of foreign investment. 

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Global Post
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DTN News: Russia, Mongolia Hold Joint Military Exercises

DTN News: Russia, Mongolia Hold Joint Military Exercises *Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) CHITA (Siberia), Russia - August 18, 2009: Russia and Mongolia are holding joint tactical exercises to practice interoperability during peacekeeping operations, the press service for Russia's Siberian Military District has said. The drills, dubbed Darkhan-2, are being held in Mongolia and involve a Russian engineer maintenance battalion numbering about 200 military personnel and 90 vehicles from the Siberian Military District, as well as a number of Mongolian military units. "Col. Gen. Alexander Postnikov [commander of the Siberian Military District] and a group of staff officers arrived in Mongolia to inspect the deployment of the Russian troops participating in the exercise," the press service said. The Darkhan-2 exercise started on Monday and will continue until September 15. Last year, the two countries held a similar exercise, Darkhan-1, in the central and northern parts of Mongolia. The drills involved 250 Mongolian and 450 Russian troops, including a repair battalion from the Siberian Military District.

DTN News: Mongolia To Send Troops To Afghanistan

DTN News: Mongolia To Send Troops To Afghanistan

*Source: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) ULAN BATOR, Mongolia - July 23, 2009: Mongolia will send at least 150 soldiers to Afghanistan in its biggest contribution to the international coalition fighting Taliban militants there, the defense ministry said Thursday. Some 130 Mongolian soldiers will arrive in Kabul in August to help protect Camp Eggers, while 23 others on training missions with the Afghan National Army should deploy by late September. Additional Mongolian troops could participate in a NATO operation to protect a German-led reconstruction team in northern Afghanistan at the end of this year. The Mongolian army, which has not seen major combat since assisting the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in 1945, will acquire vital, on-the-ground experience, Choijamts added. The troops should be on the ground by September to engage mainly in site security operations but also some training, said ministry spokesman Bayasgalan Misheel. "This is important for regional stability and Mongolia wants to contribute. It is also a good experience for the Mongolian army so that it can become more professional in its armed forces," he said. Misheel said 130 soldiers will perform security duties in Kabul while another 23 will be training the Afghan army in artillery use and maintenance. Their missions will begin September 1 and last six months. He said Mongolia has previously sent eight groups of Afghanistan, all for training purposes and no more than 25 soldiers at a time. The Mongolian deployment follows on the heels of peacekeeping missions to Sierra Leone and Iraq, among other countries. Eight separate Mongolian mobile training teams had previously worked in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2008, but Misheel said previous Afghan deployments amounted to only about 25 troops, and only for training duties. Mongolian soldiers are considered ideal for training there because they use the same Soviet-era military hardware commonly found in Afghanistan, said Lieutenant Colonel David Tatman, the US defence attache in Ulan Bator. Overseas peacekeeping and security missions have provided Mongolia a way to step from the shadow of its much larger neighbours, following centuries of domination by China and Russia, said Tatman. "Mongolia does not want to be forgotten. It's a large country with a small population and could be easily overlooked, but they are contributing where they can," he said. Mongolian soldiers returning from Afghanistan also describe a kinship with the country. Hazaras, one of the significant minority groups in Afghanistan, claim to be descendants of foot soldiers from Genghis Khan?s hordes. Modern-day Afghanistan is part of the vast empire conquered by Genghis Khan's armies nearly 800 years ago.

DTN News: China, Mongolia Seek Further Military Cooperation

DTN News: China, Mongolia Seek Further Military Cooperation *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - July 6, 2009: Senior military officials of China and Mongolia pledged Sunday to enhance military cooperation.

Bilateral relations were sound with frequent high-level visits and fast-developing economic and trade cooperation, said Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in a meeting with visiting State Secretary of the Mongolian Defense Ministry M. Borbaatar. Liang said China attached great importance to bilateral military ties and was ready to advance military friendship and cooperation. From June 28 to July 3, China and Mongolia held "Peacekeeping Mission-2009." The two sides have also held the fourth Defense Security Consultation. Liang said both activities achieved positive results, and hope the two sides could further cooperation, and enhance mutual trust, so as to contribute to regional and global peace and stability. M. Borbaatar said the two armed forces had made achievements in the cooperation. He reiterated Mongolia's adherence to the one-China policy.

He said he hoped that his visit could further enhance the friendly cooperation between the two countries and two armed forces.

Pakistan Seeking Membership Of SCO Regional Security Group

Pakistan Seeking Membership Of SCO Regional Security Group

(NSI News Source Info) Moscow - March 30, 2009: Pakistan is seeking full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) a regional security group, the Pakistani Foreign Minister told an international conference in Moscow on Friday. "I hope that one day we will be invited to join this organization," Shah Mehmood Qureshi said. The SCO regional security group comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Russia took over the presidency of the organization last August. Iran, India, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status. The SCO is currently holding an international conference in Moscow, to discuss the "situation in Afghanistan and its influence on neighboring states." Talking about Afghanistan, the minister said it was necessary to start a new page in the country's history as the Afghan population deserves peace, progress, economic recovery and development, which he said he thought was "achievable" with long-term participation by the international community. He added that Russia and China could play a key role in improving the situation in the impoverished state. The conference is being attended by foreign ministers and high-level diplomats from SCO member and observer states, as well as Afghanistan, the U.S., and Turkey. The UN Secretary General, and heads from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) are also taking part in the event.