[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9283]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

  SENATE RESOLUTION 208--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
MONGOLIAN PRESIDENT TSAKHIAGIIN ELBEGDORJ'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., 
 AND ITS SUPPORT FOR THE GROWING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 
                              AND MONGOLIA

  Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. McCain, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr. Webb) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 208

       Whereas the United States Government established diplomatic 
     relations with the Government of Mongolia in January 1987, 
     followed by the opening of a United States Embassy in 
     Ulaanbaatar in June 1988;
       Whereas in 1990, the Government of Mongolia declared an end 
     to 1-party Communist rule and initiated lasting democratic 
     and free market reforms;
       Whereas the United States Government has a longstanding 
     commitment, based on its interests and values, to encourage 
     economic and political reforms in Mongolia, having made 
     sizeable contributions to that end since 1991;
       Whereas in 1991, the United States--
       (1) signed a bilateral trade agreement that restored normal 
     trade relations with Mongolia; and
       (2) established a Peace Corps program in Mongolia that has 
     had 869 total volunteers since 1991;
       Whereas in 1999, the United States granted permanent normal 
     trade relations status to Mongolia;
       Whereas the Government of Mongolia has increasingly 
     participated 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 in 2007, the House Democracy Partnership began a 
     program to provide parliamentary assistance to the State 
     Great Khural, the Parliament of Mongolia, to promote 
     transparency, legislative independence, access to information 
     and government oversight;
       Whereas on May 24, 2009, the people of Mongolia completed 
     the country's fourth free, fair, and peaceful democratic 
     election, which resulted in the election of opposition 
     Democratic Party candidate Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj;
       Whereas in July 2011, Mongolia will assume the 2-year 
     chairmanship of the Community of Democracies;
       Whereas in 2013, Mongolia will host the Seventh Ministerial 
     Meeting of the Community of Democracies in Ulaanbaatar;
       Whereas the Government of Mongolia continues to work with 
     the United States Government to combat global terrorism;
       Whereas Mongolia deployed about 990 soldiers to Iraq 
     between 2003 to 2008 and currently has 190 troops in 
     Afghanistan;
       Whereas in 2010, the Government of Mongolia deployed a 
     United Nations Level II hospital in Darfur, Sudan;
       Whereas the Government of Mongolia has actively promoted 
     international peacekeeping efforts by sending soldiers--
       (1) to protect the Special Court of Sierra Leone;
       (2) to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     mission in Kosovo; and
       (3) to support United Nations missions in several African 
     countries;
       Whereas the Government of Mongolia has built a successful 
     partnership since 2003 with the Alaska National Guard that 
     includes humanitarian and peacekeeping exercises and efforts;
       Whereas the United States Government and the Government of 
     Mongolia share a common interest in promoting peace and 
     stability in Northeast Asia and Central Asia;
       Whereas in 1991 and 1992, the Government of Mongolia signed 
     denuclearization agreements committing Mongolia to remain a 
     nuclear weapons-free state;
       Whereas in 2010, Mongolia became the Chair of the Board of 
     Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency;
       Whereas in 2010, the United States and Mongolia signed a 
     Memorandum of Understanding to promote cooperation on the 
     peaceful use of civil nuclear energy;
       Whereas the National Nuclear Security Administration and 
     the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Government of Mongolia 
     successfully completed training on response mechanisms to 
     potential terrorist attacks;
       Whereas between 1991 and 2011, the United States Government 
     granted assistance to Mongolia--
       (1) to advance the legal and regulatory environment for 
     business and financial markets, including the mining sector;
       (2) to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; 
     and
       (3) to support good governance programming;
       Whereas in 2007, the Millennium Challenge Corporation 
     signed an agreement with Mongolia to promote sustainable 
     economic growth and to reduce poverty by focusing on property 
     rights, vocational education, health, transportation, energy, 
     and the environment;
       Whereas Mongolia's plan to enhance its rail infrastructure 
     promises to diversify its trading and investment partners, to 
     open up new markets for its mineral exports, and to position 
     Mongolia as a bridge between Asia and Europe;
       Whereas the United States has assisted Mongolia's efforts--
       (1) to address the effects of the global economic crisis;
       (2) to promote sound economic, trade, and energy policy, 
     with particular attention to the banking and mining sectors;
       (3) to facilitate commercial law development; and
       (4) to further activities with Mongolia's peacekeeping 
     forces and military;
       Whereas in January 2010--
       (1) the United States Government and the Government of 
     Mongolia agreed to promote greater academic exchange 
     opportunities;
       (2) the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture and 
     Science pledged to financially support the U.S.-Mongolia 
     Fulbright Program; and
       (3) the United States Department of State announced its 
     intention to increase its base allocation for the U.S.-
     Mongolia Fulbright Program in fiscal year 2010;
       Whereas in 2011, Mongolia is celebrating the 100 year 
     anniversary of its independence;
       Whereas on June 16, 2011, President Elbegdorj, during a 
     working visit to the United States, is scheduled to meet with 
     President Barack Obama, Congressional leaders, academics, and 
     representatives of the business community;
       Whereas in late 2011, Vice President Joseph Biden is 
     scheduled to travel to Mongolia to highlight our shared 
     interests and values;
       Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj's historic 
     visit to Washington, D.C. cements the growing friendship 
     between the governments and peoples of the United States and 
     Mongolia;
       (2) the continued commitment of the Mongolian people and 
     the Government of Mongolia to advancing democratic reforms, 
     strengthening transparency and the rule of law, and 
     protecting investment deserves acknowledgment and 
     celebration;
       (3) the United States Government should--
       (A) continue to promote economic cooperation; and
       (B) consider next steps in securing increased investment 
     and trade to promote prosperity for both countries;
       (4) the United States Government should continue to support 
     the Government of Mongolia as it works with the International 
     Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, 
     and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to 
     improve its economic system and accelerate development; and
       (5) the United States Government should continue to expand 
     upon existing academic, cultural, and other people-to-people 
     exchanges with Mongolia.

                          ____________________