PRESIDENT OF EC VISITS MONGOLIA

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Upon an invitation of the Mongolian leader Ts.Elbegdorj, the president of the European Commission /EC/ Mr Jose Manuel Barroso has paid an official visit to Mongolia. During the visit on November 17-18, the President Elbegdorj received Mr Barroso to hold official negotiations, then was organized a meeting between the Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag and Mr Barroso. At the negotiations and the meeting, the dignitaries considered nowadays level of the Mongolia-EC relations and talked about how to widen the cooperation in trade, economics, investments, education, sciences, researches and innovations. For example, a particularly attention was given to matters such as opening the EU diplomatic mission in the UB city, finally deciding an exclusion of Mongolia from the EU list of non-market economy countries, cooperating for accession to Bologna Convention, continuing the utilization of the GSP+ scheme. Apart of this, the sides touched upon international and regional issues. Mr Barroso also gave a "Relations between Mongolia and EU, EU development perspectives" lecture to teachers and students of the National University of Mongolia, and was awarded the title of Honorary doctor of this university. Then he addressed the opening ceremony of the EU Film festival. This high level visit, first ever paid by the EU--our Third neighbor--to Mongolia, has become a historical event. It has strengthened the bilateral relations and trust, has elevated the ties into a partnership level, and has given a great impetus to raising of a prestige of Mongolia not only in EU but also in the world.