Mongolia to collaborate with Austria in increasing energy resources

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ On a working visit to the Republic of Austria, the Ministry of Energy M.Sonompil held Wednesday a meeting with Mr Reinhold Mitterlehner, the Minister for Economy, Family and Youth. The two Ministers discussed a cooperation in the economic and energy sectors, especially in the renewable energy sector. Speaking about economic situation in his country, Mr Mitterlehner expressed a readiness to expand the bilateral friendly relations with economics and to co-implement joint projects and programmes. The Mongolian Minister noted that he is a head of the Mongolia-Austria intergovernmental joint commission, and said Mongolia wants to realize a decision made by the Austrian government on granting a soft loan of EUR 40 million to Mongolia at the fourth intergovernmental commission meeting held in 2010. "By the memorandum on the soft loan, it has been planned to finance projects and measures on health, energy and infrastructure," Mr Sonompil said. Then he proposed to implement a project on erecting an electricity power station which processes garbage, to exploit progressive technologies of Austria. The Austrian Minister supported this proposals and emphasized that the sides should focus ob beneficial exploitation of the soft loan. The Austrian companies are interested in a project on constructing a hydro power station, he added. After the meeting the Ministers signed a memorandum on developing the bilateral cooperation in energy sector, namely in augmenting resources of renewable energy and raising profit of the energy. The memorandum also reflects a matter on attracting scientific institutions of the two countries to works in environment protection, sustainable development and new technologies introduction. The Minister's working visit is continuing. Mr Sonompil plans to meet with Mr Wolfgang Katzian, a member of Austrian parliament in charge of energy affairs, and to get acquainted with environmentally-friendly energy station and a hydro power station. The 50th anniversary of the Mongolia-Austria diplomatic relations is celebrated this year, and the fifth meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission meeting will run July 8-9 in Ulaanbaatar.