Trans-boundary protected areas to be created

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ A trans-boundary biosphere area might get a special protection, covering Onon-Balj National Park in Mongolia and the source of Amar river in Russia. Having a willingness to do so, the cabinet Friday decided to establish an intergovernmental agreement on the matter with the Russian Federation. Protecting the lands near Onon-Balj National Park and Sokhondo (the source of Amar river) will contribute to a saving of freshwater sources in basins of Arctic and Pacific, the ecosystem of South Siberia’s taiga which hold the basins, and rare animals and plants near the borders. Moreover, the countries are possible to develop tourism based on the natural and historical sites. The 1994's Mongolia-Russia intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in environment reflects issues of expanding the collaboration in lands reserving and creating trans-boundary protected areas. This matter was also discussed during a visit of the Russian President D.Medvedev to Mongolia in 2009, when the sides considered as a necessity to create specially-protected areas near reserved lands of Uvs Lake basin and Onon-Balj National Park.