PRESS BRIEFING CALLED ON PRESIDENT’S VISIT

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ After the official talks and signing of the joint statement on Tuesday, the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj and the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe called a press briefing. ”I am earnestly delighted to host President Elbegdorj in Japan. Mr President and I are unanimous about the need to deepen economic relations in order to strengthen our strategic partnership,” the Premier Mr Abe was quoted by the President's website. "Our countries signed a joint statement which highlights the following three principles. First, we commend the successful holding of talks on Economic Partnership Agreement and reaching an agreement in principle. The Japan-Mongolia Economic Partnership Agreement shall mark the 15th EPA for Japan after the recently signed one with Australia. It is the first Economic Partnership Agreement for Mongolia, and it is a very important one to elevate our economic relations to higher levels, promoting mutually complementary cooperation. In the near term, we shall work together to expedite the signing and ratification of the Japan-Mongolia EPA. "Second, I put forward the ERCH Plus initiative, aimed at supporting industrial diversification and export promotion in Mongolia, and the initiative was supported. I proposed this cooperation initiative during my visit to Mongolia in March last year. This initiative will help expanding value-added and competitive exports. "Third, accepting the request to cooperate in conducting economic structural reforms and implementing transparent and stable economic policies, Japan proposed appointing an economic advisor. Through such a mechanism, we will be able to contribute to Mongolia’s mid- and long-term economic policy development. “We are committed to strengthening mutually beneficial, mutually complementary strategic partnership with Mongolia,” Mr Abe highlighted. The President Elbegdorj said: ”H.E. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and I have just held officials talks, in nice and friendly atmosphere. I am profoundly happy that the strategic partnership between our two countries is being fortified with wider economic partnership content. The Economic Partnership Agreement which the two parties agreed in principle, will provide a firm and stable legal environment to boost bilateral economic and investment ties. In our economic relations, we propose to explore the opportunities together, to produce together and to aspire markets together. "Under this spirit, today we held a large business summit in Tokyo. Mongolian economy, our investment environment and opportunities were widely featured at the summit, which brought together close to 500 businessmen of the Mongolian and Japanese private sectors. "Mongolia’s bilateral relations with Japan are one of Mongolia’s foreign policy priorities, which are fully consistent with our national interests, with our development interests."