SPEAKER RECEIVES AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ The Speaker Z.Enkhbold received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Mongolia, Mr Yves Delune on September 5. Z.Enkhbold thanked France for its financial and humanitarian support given to Mongolia during the social transition and democratic development. The Ambassador congratulated Mr Enkhbold on becoming the Speaker of parliament, and noted that Mongolia and France have long-year historical relations. France was one of the first western countries to recognize Mongolia's independence and to open the Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, he saids and expressed a wilingness to strengthen the ties in all spheres. As the country who prioritize the human rights, France appreciates Mongolia's joining the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he stressed and said Mongolia has a specific geographic position in providing a peace and stability in Asia. Mr Delune asked the Speaker whether Mongolia-France parliamentary friendship group is created and expressed readiness to support these ties. The Speaker expressed a hope that France--an influential member of the UN and the European Union--will support Mongolia in international arena and in opening here the EU representative office. Then the sides have talked about a forthcoming visit of French business delegation, which intends to seek investment and cooperation opportunities and to run meetings, and a support France's Ambassador gives to a visit of Mongolians to France to take part in the international agricultural exhibition. They also focused on ways of strengthening the collaboration in agriculture, for example, by importing to Mongolia highly productive stock and by using a chance to export from here organic natural products to the world market. B.Oyundelger