PRESIDENT MEETS JAPANESE PARLIAMENTARY OFFICIAL

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ The President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj has emphasized a role of the interparliamentary friendship groups in developing the Mongolia-Japan relations in all sectors. He said it during meeting with Mr. Satsuki Eda, the head of the friendship group at the House of Councilors of Japan parliament on Thursday. The State Head shared with the visitors an impression he got during a visit to Japan in 2010, and said the Mongolians very seriously took the natural disaster that occurred last year in Japan. He hoped that Japan will fully overcome aftermath of the disaster. In turn, Mr. Eda thanked government and people of Mongolia for the assistance given during the natural disaster. Mentioning that the two countries agreed to develop their relations in partnership principles, the State Head underlined that the sides must enhance the ties on a basis of the mutual interests at all levels. "It is very important to create the economic partnership agreement. I hope our countries will launch this agreement in near future," he stressed. The President emphasized an importance of support and help from the Japan-Mongolia interparliamentary group in intensifying the bilateral cooperation in the mining, mineral resources, energy, infrastructure, animal husbandry, land farming and other spheres. "Japan is the Third neighbor of Mongolia. Therefore, the development of the Mongolia-Japan relations and cooperation is one of the priorities of Mongolia's foreign policy concept," the President said. "2012 is the special year for our countries. We will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relations. I hope our countries will get achievements in forwarding the relations," Ts.Elbegdorj said, adding Mongolia is ready to receive high-level guests from Japan. Mr. Eda noted that Japanese parliamentary delegation intends to visit Mongolia, and said that a head of the Cabinet secretariat of Japanese government will visit Mongolia soon in order to make negotiations on forwarding bilateral agreements. B.Khuder