PRESIDENT OPENS MULTINATIONAL PEACEKEEPING EXERCISE “KHAAN QUEST”

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ President of Mongolia and Commander-in-Chief of the Mongolian Armed Forces Khaltmaagiin Battulga delivered opening remarks at the annual multinational peacekeeping exercise “Khaan Quest”, which commenced at the Five Hills Training Area on June 14. Present at the opening ceremony were, President Battulga, Minister of Defense N.Enkhbold, Chief of the General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General D.Davaa, and officials, including Ambassadors of the countries participating in the multinational exercise. As the opening ceremony commenced with a march of the soldiers partaking in the 2018 “Khaan Quest” multinational peacekeeping exercise, President Battulga greeted the military personnel of the 26 participating countries, shaking hands with the representatives of each country. President Battulga said in his opening remarks: The foundation of human development is peace and tranquility. Throughout the history, whenever peace was established, society reached high advancements. Many centuries ago, Mongolians had established peace throughout the Eurasia, and created the foundation of the modern world. In the years of the Mongolian peace (Pax Mongolica), trade network connecting the Eurasia reinvigorated, international postal system was created, cultural and knowledge exchange was actively taking place. Scholars and researchers unanimously agree that exactly during this time, commerce, banking, and postal innovations were widely shared, and exchanges between different cultures became more rapid and effective. In this age, keeping the peace in the world is not an obligation of one nation, but a collective effort of all the nations in the world. For this reason, in the past years, as a member of the United Nations, Mongolia has sufficiently proved itself by tangibly participating in the global peace keeping efforts, and being ready to send our peacekeepers to all the corners of the world. Peacekeeping in a conflict zone is an arduous job that requires perpetual readiness, grit, bravery, and professional skills. Establishing peace and keeping tranquility requires high-level of commitment, responsibility, and sense of service. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Mongolian Armed Forces, I am proud that Mongolian peacekeepers prove their military skills and discipline, and represent our nation with dignity wherever they are deployed. I would like to underscore that this very “Khaan Quest” exercise, which is conducting its 16th iteration, opened the door for the Mongolian military personnel to participate in the global peace support operations. From the moment it first took place, “Khaan Quest” exercise had striking similarity to the real-life scenarios and adopted the latest training methods. Thanks to these advantages, Mongolian peacekeepers have been able to gain exceptional ability to operate under tough conditions. Through you, I extend my sincere appreciation to the United States and all participating countries that sent their military personnel for your support to organize Khaan Quest. This training deepens our mutual defense understanding and friendship among the regional countries. It provides opportunities to cooperate and share knowledge and experience with each other. Taking this opportunity, I would like reiterate that Mongolia will steadfastly carry on our peace-prioritizing foreign policy, and willing to cooperate and maintain friendly relationship with all the nations of the world." source: president.mn