Russia, Mongolia preparing plan for boosting strategic partnership - lower house speaker

ULAN BATOR, February 16. /TASS/. Russia and Mongolia are preparing a medium-term plan for developing strategic partnership, Russia’s lower house speaker Sergey Naryshkin told reporters on Monday. The plan should "take into consideration the current level of bilateral cooperation in the economic sphere and of course, define the prospects of developing trade and economic relations," Naryshkin said at a joint news conference with Mongolia’s parliament speaker, Zandaakhuu Enkhbold. Russia’s State Duma chairman has confirmed that Moscow appreciates the results of the trade and economic cooperation with Ulan Bator. Naryshkin mentioned three major Russian-Mongolian enterprises that are the flagships of Mongolia’s economic development. "We see the prospects of developing Mongolia’s transport potential, and in particular the railway, automobile and pipeline transport," Naryshkin said, confirming Russia’s readiness for cooperation in this sphere. In his turn, Enkhbold said the trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Mongolia have a long history. The politician acknowledged howerver that Mongolia’s export to Russia reached just 3 percent last year. "It is also essential to implement major projects," the Mongolian lawmaker said, adding that there is a "possibility of creating a corridor from Russia to China via Mongolia's territory." Naryshkin said Russia and Mongolia have agreed to coordinate their positions on international parliamentary platforms. In this context, he confirmed that the State Duma parliamentary delegation will participate in the autumn session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Ulan Bator in September. The Russian lawmaker earlier said he expects that his two-day visit to Mongolia’s capital Ulan Bator, which started on Sunday, will encourage the development of bilateral cooperation. Read more