PMs of Mongolia and Japan sign EPA

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Prime Minister of Mongolia Ch.Saikhanbileg and the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe signed an Economic Partnership Agreement on February 10 in Tokyo, Japan. Before this the dignitaries ran official negotiations. Mr Abe expressed his heartfelt greetings to our PM for visiting Japan and said this visit manifests Mongolia's recognition of Japan as its "Third neighbor". The ties between Japan and Mongolia have reached an amicable level, the relationship is not limited by intergovernmental actions only, said Mr Abe. He expressed a satisfaction with the conclusion of this document after three years of negotiations. “The first EPA for Mongolia, this document will provide the basis for realizing the objectives to deepen our relations and to promote economic development of Mongolia," he said and promised to cooperae with our country in mobilizing the EPA. The Japanese PM also informed that, in accordance with the document, Japan has resolved to allocate an additional credit of JPY 36 billion 850 million for the construction of the new airport in Khoshig Valley, at the request of the Mongolian side, and that Japan will send experts for the development of the Medium- and Long-Term Economic Policy of Mongolia. The sides also had exchanged opinions on the cooperation on international and regional arenas and had agreed to intensify their strategic dialogues on foreign relations and security, Mr Abe went on. Japan will strengthen the cooperation with Mongolia in foreign relations and security, in economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres on the basis of the Strategic Partnership, he stressed. The Prime Minister of Mongolia Ch.Saikhanbileg expressed a sincere gratitude to Mr Shinzo Abe for the hospitality and respect. He said he is satisfied with inking the EPA and making the joint statement about it. "It means that the matters, reflected in the Medium-Term Program of Mongolia-Japan Strategic Partnership, are beginning to be implemented," he noted and thanked the Japanese PM, negotiating teams and staffers of related ministries for forwarding the negotiations. The Agreement will serve to increase the bilateral trade volume, investments, exchange of products and services and to improve cultural services, "it will also connect Mongolia to the global market and the regional economic integration, said Saikhanbileg. "On a basis of the EPA Mongolia wants to introduce the Japanese 'know-how', to commercialize value-added products to Japan’s and third countries’ markets, thus communicating our market with the regional industrial networks and economic ties," he said. He is also satisfied that the discussions had run in open and friendly atmosphere, and expressed his confidence that the EPA will be a great contribution to intensifying of the Strategic Partnership between the two nations. After this Mr Saikhanbileg wished Mr Shinzo Abe great successes and expressed a wish to meet with him in Mongolia.