III 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 192 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 18, 2009 Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Webb, and Ms. Murkowski) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding supporting democracy and economic development in Mongolia and expanding relations between the United States and Mongolia.

Whereas the United States Government established diplomatic relations with the Government of Mongolia in January 1987; Whereas the Government of Mongolia declared an end to one-party Communist rule in 1990 and initiated democratic and free market reforms; Whereas the United States Government has a continued commitment to ongoing economic and political reforms in Mongolia and has made sizeable contributions for that purpose since 1991; Whereas, in 1991, the United States established Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status with Mongolia and began a Peace Corps program that now boasts over 100 volunteers and over 725 volunteers since its creation, and is one of the largest per capita Peace Corps programs worldwide; Whereas the United States extended permanent NTR status effective July 1, 1999; Whereas the United States has strongly supported the participation of Mongolia in the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, among other international organizations; Whereas the United States and Mongolia enhanced their trade relationship through the signing of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in 2004 to boost bilateral commercial ties and amicably resolve disagreements over trade; Whereas the Government of Mongolia continues to work with the United States Government to combat global terrorism and, from April 2003 to October 2008, sent 10 consecutive deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom and 7 indirect fire technical training teams to Afghanistan; Whereas the Government of Mongolia continues to demonstrate a growing desire to join the United States in global peacekeeping activities by providing an ongoing deployment of soldiers to protect the Special Court for Sierra Leone, as well as providing deployments in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission in Kosovo and United Nations missions in a number of countries in Africa; Whereas the Government of Mongolia signed denuclearization agreements in 1991 and 1992, making Mongolia a nuclear weapons-free zone; Whereas Mongolia was deemed eligible for Millennium Challenge Compact assistance on May 6, 2004, submitted its official proposal on October 13, 2005, received approval for its proposal from the Millennium Challenge Corporation on September 12, 2007, and signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Agreement on October 22, 2007, during a visit to the United States by then-Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar; Whereas President George W. Bush became the first-ever sitting United States President to travel to Mongolia on November 21, 2005; Whereas the House Democracy Assistance Commission began a program to provide parliamentary assistance to the State Great Hural, the parliament of Mongolia, in 2007; Whereas Senate Resolution 352, 110th Congress, agreed to October 18, 2007, expressed the sense of the Senate on the strength and endurance of the partnership between the United States and Mongolia during the 20th anniversary of relations between the two countries; Whereas the United States and Mongolia signed an agreement to increase cooperation in preventing trafficking in nuclear technology on October 23, 2007; Whereas, during the October 2007 visit by then-President Enkhbayar to Washington, DC, the United States and Mongolia agreed to a Declaration of Principles for further cooperation between both countries, including a commitment to expanded development and long-term cooperation in political, economic, trade, investment, educational, cultural, arts, scientific and technological, defense, security, humanitarian, and other areas; Whereas the people of Mongolia completed a free, fair, and peaceful democratic election on May 24, 2009, which resulted in the election of opposition Democratic Party candidate Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj; Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on June 9, 2009, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Mongolia, S. Batbold, that the United States is committed to supporting the government and people of Mongolia as they seek assistance to develop, as they continue their democratization, and as they reach out to the rest of the world; and Whereas the United States Government and the Government of Mongolia share a common interest in promoting peaceful cooperation in Northeast Asia and Central Asia: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the Senate that— (1)the growing partnership between the democratic governments and peoples of the United States and Mongolia deserves acknowledgment and celebration; (2)the democratic election and peaceful transition of power in Mongolia is an important demonstration of the continuing commitment in that country to democratic reform and represents a significant achievement for that young democracy; (3)the United States Government encourages further economic cooperation with the Government of Mongolia, including, as appropriate, enhanced trade and investment to promote prosperity for both of our economies; (4)the United States Government should continue to work with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to assist the Government of Mongolia in improving its economic system and accelerating development; (5)the United States Government should continue to provide Mongolia assistance under the Millennium Challenge Compact and encourage further effective and accountable governance; and (6)the United States Government should expand upon existing academic, cultural, and other people-to-people exchanges with Mongolia.