Mongolia-France intergovernmental working group meets

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The first meeting of the Mongolia-France intergovernmental cooperation working group ran Monday in Paris, France. It has been co-chaired by G.Tsogtsaikhan, the State Secretary of Mongolia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by Ms Loran Michelle, a Director of the Department for Energy and Climate Changes of the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy of France. The sides expressed satisfaction with resuming a consultation mechanism between the two governments and shared views on the bilateral relations. They were also glad with establishing a cooperation memorandum between Mongolia’s government and a French consortium, which is shared by the GDF Suez company, a winner of a bid for constructing the #5 thermal power station. The French side expressed its willingness to develop the cooperation with Mongolia in the renewable energy sector and in utilizing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The parties underlined that they have big opportunities to boost the ties and collaboration in the fields of energy, agriculture and infrastructure. The Mongolia’s side said the two nations can cooperate in the environment and sustainable development, especially in combating soil pollution, in forestry and water management. Within the meeting, Mr Tsogtsaikhan met with Mr Pierre Sellal, the General Secretary at the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Philip Martin, the Minister of the Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy; and with Gilles Ricono, a Director of the Cabinet of the Ecology Minister. The sides exchanged opinions on chances to keep a frequency of high-level visits and to widen the bilateral cooperation in all sectors. The sides are ready to augment French investments to Mongolia and to expand the cooperation, to intensify the agricultural cooperation and to collaborate in introducing French progressive technologies in Mongolia.