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Blue Wolf Mongolia Countdown: 37 days till liquidation
Mogi: the Minister doesn’t say where the 25% less Rosneft fuel will be come from, not very reassuring
OT Shareholders Meeting Confirmed on March 20, No Fuel Shortage in Mongolia, Says Minister Batbayar
March 13 (InfoMongolia) Minister for Economic Development N.Batbayar has reported on several questions to reporters regarding current economic situation of Mongolia at the press conference held on March 12, 2013.
In his statement relevant recent deal between Russian Rosneft Company and Mongolia, Minister noted, “First of all, I would like to announce responsibly that there is no shortage of petroleum products in Mongolia. The Government of Mongolia took necessary steps toward reliable reservations of fuel. For instance, we allocated loans to local importer companies on easy terms, consequently three months reservation was arranged to store, which has never been happened in our history.
Secondly, now it has passed the times of being with only one importer country, the Russian Federation, we have opened other sources.
Thirdly, the bilateral talks on oil industry are being continued not only with neighbor countries, but also with the third parties. For instance, negotiations on the country's first oil refinery "Darkhan-Petroleum" plant in Darkhan-Uul aimag (province) to process 2 million tons of crude oil per year are being held. The state-owned plant financed by Japan in amount of 700 million USD will start soon and accomplished by the end of 2015, hence the local demand of petroleum products will be provided, and nevertheless Mongolia will become an oil exporter country. Moreover, bilateral talks on exchanging crude oil mined in Mongolia with petroleum products are being held with authorities of the People’s Republic of China”.
Also, Minister N.Batbayar confirmed the Oyu Tolgoi shareholders’ meeting to be continued from March 20, 2013.
Rio Tinto waits on Oyu Tolgoi financing decision from Australia
March 14 (BusinessDay.com.au) Rio Tinto is expected to know within days whether Australia's export credit agency will help fund its Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia or follow the lead of the US and deliver a symbolic blow to the company's most important growth project.
The social and environmental impacts of the massive copper and gold mine were thrust into the spotlight this week when the US revealed why it had abstained from supporting a recent International Finance Corporation decision to fund the project.
Washington's concerns over a lack of information in the project's environmental assessment did not prevent the IFC's $US1.4 billion funding package being approved. But they did give ammunition to opponents of the project at a time when relations between Rio and the Mongolian government are strained.
Australia's Export Finance and Insurance Corporation has been talking to Rio and its subsidiaries over a funding package for Oyu Tolgoi for almost 18 months, and EFIC's final funding decision is believed to be imminent.
Most observers expect EFIC to follow the IFC's lead and commit taxpayer funds to the Oyu Tolgoi, but EFIC's deliberations have dragged on longer than some expected.
EFIC has applied a category A ranking to the project, a description applied to projects the corporation judges to have ''potential for significant adverse environmental and/or social impacts''.
An EFIC spokeswoman, Gabriella Hold, said the main project risks relate to ''water resources, resettlement, biodiversity, stakeholder engagement and the project's management systems''.
The comments echo the concerns of international aid groups who have focused on the plight of nomadic herders who roam the lands around Oyu Tolgoi.
Rio has argued that Oyu Tolgoi will bring unprecedented opportunities to such communities, given the mine is tipped to account for half the impoverished nation's exports by 2019.
EFIC has engaged with aid agencies such as Oxfam and Jubilee Australia during its recent deliberations. Jubilee's Carmelan Polce said EFIC should ensure impact studies were thorough before committing to the project.
Rio pointed to the IFC funding as a sign that financing of the project was progressing as expected. The IFC funding is for the second stage of Oyu Tolgoi, which is expected to cost more than $US4 billion.
Mongolia Seeks Investors for Thermal Plant to Power Oyu Tolgoi
March 13 (Bloomberg) Mongolia is seeking international investors to help fund a coal-fired thermal plant in the Gobi Desert to power its biggest infrastructure project, the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine.
“The total cost to build the power station will be roughly $500 million,” said Odon Sainbuyan, the Executive Director of Erdenes MGL, a state-owned company that holds the shares of Mongolia’s strategic deposits, including Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi and Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi.
Oyu Tolgoi is at the center of a dispute between Rio Tinto Group (RIO), which controls 66 percent of the $6.6 billion project, and the government, which holds the remainder through Erdenes MGL. The two sides will meet later this month to try and resolve their dispute over cost overruns, financing, taxes and the government’s desire for more locals in the mine’s management.
The target construction date for the plant is 2016, which would allow Mongolia to adhere to the terms of its investment agreement struck with Rio. The agreement states that Oyu Tolgoi must source all its power from Mongolia within four years of first production, expected in June. The mine currently imports all its power needs from China.
The government will announce a tender to find a company to build the 300 megawatt plant, to be built at the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit. Sainbuyan said Germany’s Siemens AG (SIE), as well as unnamed companies from China, have expressed interest in the project.
‘New Opportunities’
Erlangen, Germany-based Siemens spokesman Torsten Wolf said the company is “always interested in new opportunities,” without elaborating.
Mongolia will fund 30 percent of the power station through its $1.5 billion Chinggis Bond fund, raised on international markets in November. The rest will come from private investors and loans, said Sainbuyan, appointed to the head of Erdenes MGL in November 2012.
At a meeting on March 7, the government allocated $50 million from the Chinggis Bond for initial start-up costs. Sainbuyan said the cash would be used to hire consultants and to set up the project unit.
The Oyu Tolgoi mine, 130 kilometers (81 miles) southeast of Tavan Tolgoi, is the primary driver of Mongolia’s $10 billion economy and by 2020 is expected to make up one-third of Mongolia’s gross domestic product.
The government favors building the plant at Tavan Tolgoi, rather than at Oyu Tolgoi, for logistical reasons.
“If the power station is located at Oyu Tolgoi then the coal will need to be transported to the project site. If it’s at Tavan Tolgoi, there will be no need to ship any coal. It’s more economical, logical and efficient,” said Sainbuyan.
Sainbuyan said the 300 megawatt power plant is only a first stage and that the facility will expand to a total capacity of 1,200 megawatt.
Mongolian Mining to boost raw coal output by 28%
Company keeps last year’s production target of 12 million tonnes after plunging into the red
March 13 (South China Morning Post) Mongolian Mining (HK:975), the largest producer of coal used in steel-smelting in Mongolia, aims to raise raw coal output by 28 per cent this year after missing its target last year because of weak demand.
Yesterday, the firm posted a US$2.54 million net loss for last year, a turnaround from a profit of US$119 million in 2011.
Sales fell 12.6 per cent to US$474.48 million as lower selling prices more than offset a 16.7 per cent rise in volumes to 5.6 million tonnes of coal products.
Mongolian Mining's chief executive, Battsengel Gotov, said the company aimed to produce 12 million tonnes of raw coal this year. Last year's output of 9.4 million tonnes was short of its target of 11 million to 12 million tonnes.
It has a target of 6 million to 6.5 million tonnes of processed hard coking coal, its main product, up from 3.7 million tonnes last year.
Last year's average selling price of hard coking coal fell 30 per cent to US$108.40 a tonne, as demand from developed nations fell and that from emerging nations slowed markedly.
China, which buys almost all of Mongolia's coking coal exports, saw crude steel output grow just 3.1 per cent last year, down from 7.3 per cent in 2011, according to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The ministry predicted growth of 4.6 per cent this year.
Because of its underdeveloped railways, Mongolia saw its share of China's coking coal imports slide to 36 per cent last year from 45 per cent in 2011, as more expensive trucks were used to transport the coal.
Mongolia lost share to Australia, Canada and Russia, which benefited from depressed seaborne freight prices. Oversupply saw high-cost Mongolia producers shut production facilities in last year's third quarter, when prices were at their lowest.
Mongolian Mining, with its own road and trucks, fared better than its rivals. Its cost to transport coal to the border fell 30.8 per cent to US$11.90 a tonne last year after it bought more trucks.
To cut costs, it began building a railway in June, but the newly elected Mongolian government decided in November to unify all railway concessions under a single state-owned firm. The company is in talks on handing over the US$62 million of railway assets already built, in exchange for a stake of up to 10 per cent in the state-owned firm. Gotov expects a deal by June 30.
This article first appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition on Mar 13, 2013 as Mongolian Mining to boost coal output 28pc
Wolf: Half-Year Financial Report, 31 December 2012
March 13, Wolf Petroleum Limited (ASX:WOF) --
…
REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
Wolf Petroleum takeover and re-listing
Wolf Petroleum Limited (formerly Strzelecki Metals Limited) made a takeover offer for all of the securities in Wolf Operations Limited (formerly Wolf Petroleum Limited). The takeover offer was affected through an off-market takeover bid for all of the ordinary shares in Wolf Operations on the basis of 2.5 Wolf Petroleum shares for every 1 Wolf Operations share held on a post consolidation basis.
Additionally, Wolf Petroleum obtained shareholder approval to change its name to Wolf Petroleum Limited. On 29 October 2012 Wolf Petroleum announced that it had received 100% acceptances from Wolf Operations shareholders and on 21st of December 2012 was re-listed on the ASX.
Production Sharing Contract Awarded – Sukhbaatar Block 27
During December 2012 the Government of Mongolia, under the National Security Council’s guidance, gave rights to the Petroleum Authority of Mongolia to sign a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with Wolf Petroleum Limited on Sukhbaatar Block 27. The awarding of the PSC followed the early completion by Wolf of exploration commitments on its other Blocks.
On the 9 January 2013 the Company announced that the PSC had been signed with the Government of Mongolia. The PSC has a 5-year exploration period with two possible 2-year extensions and a further 5-year extension under government approval. A total of 14 years of exploration and up to 30 years of production are possible under the contract.
Under the PSC the contractor can recover 100% of its costs from oil sales. Oil can be produced and/or fully exported to any party at market price. The total size of Block 27 is 23,047km2. It is located in eastern Mongolia adjacent to Wolf’s Baruun Urt Block in a region with proven and producing petroleum systems.
Approximately 60% or 12,000km2 of the surface outcrops are cretaceous in age with a high potential for source reservoir rocks at depth. Historical gravity surveys indicate the presence of a large sub-basin with a thickness of up to 3,000 meters. A potential petroleum “source kitchen” has been identified on the Block.
Sukhbaatar block - 23,047km2
Sukhbaatar (SB) is one of the first five identified hydrocarbon blocks in Mongolia. Of its surface outcrops, 60% or 12,000 km2 are cretaceous in age with a high potential for source reservoir rocks at depth.
The company has planned aggressive exploration programmes to complete its first three years of exploration commitments pursuant to the contract within the first year of the contract (2013). A geological and geophysical crew of up to 45 people commenced work programmes on-site in February 2013.
Wolf signed a contract with Perry Remote Sensing USA for a structural, lithologic, and altered mineral analysis using highresolution satellite imagery on the SB block. A local on-site geophysical crew will be sending all raw data to Perry Remote Sensing throughout the duration of the program. On-site geological and geophysical studies are planned to be completed by the end of March with commencement of planning for a 2D seismic programme in April 2013.
Baruun Urt (BU) block - 10,287km2
The BU block is located in eastern Mongolia in a region with proven and producing petroleum reserves. Geological structures and depth of basins are similar to currently operating oil fields. 330km of a 2D seismic programme interpretation has been completed and initial drilling targets have been identified on the BU project. To confirm the initial drilling targets, additional gravity and geochemical studies are planned for March 2013.
Jinst - 41,067km2
The Jinst block is currently the largest exploration block in Mongolia. Two significant sub-basins have been identified with areas of 1,600km2 and 1,500km2. The target depth range is 2,000-4,000 meters.
Based on a previously completed remote sensing programme and geophysical studies a 2D seismic acquisition programme of 264km and 340km is planned for the two major sub-basins of Jinst. Throughout the 2D seismic program, sample shot holes for geochemistry will be collected to confirm multi-spectral modelling and high-grade lead areas
Western Australia Projects
During the half-year the company announced that it had entered into an agreement with privately owned Tortuga Advisors Ltd pursuant to which Tortuga acquired from the Company all of the issued capital of its wholly owned subsidiary Urex Ltd for a nominal sum.
In addition to the disposal of Urex to Tortuga, the Company also entered into a Joint Venture Interest Sale Agreement with Urex, pursuant to which the Company agreed to the transfer of its title, rights and interest in the West Musgrave joint venture tenements located in Western Australia. As consideration for the sale of the joint venture tenement assets, comprising eight exploration licenses and field camp, Urex agreed to issue Wolf Petroleum 11.25 million shares.
The divestment of this asset is in keeping with the Board’s strategy of focusing the Company’s resources on completing the Wolf Petroleum Limited transaction and the development of its core oil and gas assets located in Mongolia.
…
FeOre: Interim Financial Report
March 13, FeOre Limited (ASX:FEO) –
SouthGobi Resources to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Financial Results on March 25, 2013
Conference call to discuss results
HONG KONG, CHINA--(Marketwire - March 13, 2013) - The board of directors of SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX:SGQ)(HKSE:1878) (the "Company") will meet on Monday, March 25, 2013 to consider and approve the fourth quarter and full year 2012 financial results of the Company and its subsidiaries. These financial results will be released before TSX market open.
The Company will host a conference call and audio webcast to discuss fourth quarter and full year 2012 financial results and provide an update on the Company's operations. Date and time of the call for various regions will be as follows:
· Monday, March 25, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. EST / 4:00 p.m. PST
· Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 7:00 a.m. Hong Kong Time
MSE listed companies release their financial reports
March 13 (Business-Mongolia.com) Mongolian Stock Exchange (MSE) published 2012 financial reports of the publicly listed companies in Mongolia. Of those MSE traded companies submitted their financials to date, “Tavantolgoi” (small Tavan Tolgoi), a joint stock company, owned by Umnugovi provincial government and a few private investors, reported the highest profit in 2012. “Tavantolgoi” is the only company, among those mining ventures listed at MSE, that exports coking coal to overseas.
Even though Mongolia’s export of coking coal in 2012 was increased by 2.8 percent, its monetary value was reduced by 16.9 percent due to price fluctuations. This negatively affected the performance of coal exporters of the country. However, “Tavantolgoi” JSC enjoyed total sales of MNT 102.7 Billion in 2012 with a net profit of MNT 9.2 Billion.
It can also be noted that miners of thermal coal performed well in the year too. “Shariin Gol” JSC had reported total sales of MNT 13.7 Billion with a net profit of MNT 1.8 Billion in the period. As a result of positive changes in its core management team, the company was able to significantly improve its operations for the recent years.
“Aduunchuluun”, a shareholding company, located in Dornod Province, produced and sold coal worth MNT 4.9 Billion, pocketing a net profit of MNT 734 Million in 2012, while “Mogoin Gol”, another prominent coal mine in Khuvsgul Province, made sales of MNT 1.15 Billion with a net profit of MNT 734 Million.
Although i by the end of the reporting year.
MSE JOINT STOCK COMPANIES’ 2012 YEAR-END FINANCIAL REPORTS
March 13 (MSE) According to the related laws, rules and regulations, Joint Stock Company is responsible for providing its audited annual financial report within 10th February of the next year to the Financial Regulatory Commission and Mongolian Stock Exchange while distributing the brief financial report to its stakeholders and the public.
By 11th March, 2013, there are 106 companies have provided their 2012 year-end financial reports among all listed companies on Mongolian Stock Exchange.
Please click here to view 2012 annual financial reports of the joint stock companies.
Address:
Mongolian Stock Exchange Listing Department
E-mail: listing@mse.mn
Tel: 310517 /117, 119, 120/
Fax: 325170
“ULAANBAATAR BUK” JSC AND “TULGA” JSC ANNOUNCE DIVIDENDS
March 13 (MSE) “Ulaanbaatar BUK” (MSE:BUK) JSC and “Tulga” (MSE:TLG) JSC are submitted their board resolution of “Distributing dividend” to Mongolian Stock Exchange.
Please click here to download 2012 dividend distribution information of joint stock companies.
Mogi: wow, over $100m, for just 3 months too
Summary of the Government Bills Auction held on March 13th, 2013
March 13 (Ministry of Finance) Total of 150.0 billion tugrik bills was announced to be sold on this auction, 150,000 quantities with 12 week maturity. Bids received totaled 254.0 billion tugriks and 150.0 billion tugrik bills were sold successfully at weighted average interest rate of 10.32.
Mongolia to develop industrial parks
ULAN BATOR, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altanhuyag said Wednesday that his government has decided to speed up the construction of two industrial parks in the mineral-rich East Gobi province to boost industry.
The government plans to invest 75 billion tugrik (53.5 million U.S. dollars) to develop Sainshand and Zamiin-Uud Industrial Parks this year, said Altanhuyag during a visit to the East Gobi province.
He said the industrial parks will be used to develop the mineral resources industry and building material enterprises, in order to meet the demand for cement and other building materials in East Gobi's large construction projects.
Mongolia planned to invest 10 billion dollars to build the Sainshand Industrial Park. Key projects in the park include coal washing, coking, steelmaking, copper smelting, oil refining and other mineral resources processing, as well as building material production.
Altanhuyag said the road from the capital of Ulan Bator to Sainshand will be opened in September this year, which will make Sainshand a transport hub connecting Asia and Europe.
He said Mongolia plans to build Sainshand into the country's main industrial zone and tourist center. Mongolia will set Sainshand as a national model, and spread its experience to other provinces, he added.
Sainshand is a major international railway hub in southern Mongolia.
Mogi: An Apology
I was pointed out that I have been reposting Mr. Nick Cousyn's, COO of BDSec, subscription-only Mongolia updates. I apologize for this misunderstanding, Nick. Furthermore, I highly recommend subscribing to his daily updates with top notch analyses and commentaries, by contacting Nick (nick.cousyn@bdsec.mn) directly.
Mogi
Monet Capital: Mongolia News Update - "100 Thousand Apartments" government project on hold
March 13 (Vidur Jain for Monet Capital) The Government of Mongolia (GoM), looks to be tight for cash as is becoming apparent through their recent action. The Government has halted the “100 Thousand Apartments” program and the low-interest financing for its would-be residents. This has led to resentment amongst the successful housing applicants, who are threatening a hunger strike on the Sukhbaatar Square in front of the parliament building.
The project was part of a government initiative to expand the market for low to middle income families looking to move into the city. The initiative was to give access to cheap housing, and cheap capital in a city where 60% of the population still live in Gers (traditional nomadic housing). In addition to this the government also cancelled a scholarship program for top performing college students.
In December 2012, Mongolia recorded a trade deficit of 75.53 Million USD, and saw a 20.9% increase in expenditure with the majority coming from expenditures on goods and services and Subsidies and Transfers. This year with the coal market looking bleak (according to reports by the Commonwealth Bank) and a possible reduction in foreign investment, the government could be tightening the belt in anticipation of a difficult year.
The US has expressed concern over Oyu Tolgoi’s Environmental and social impact, and has refused to vote on World Bank funding to expand the project’s operations. This although may seem like a stumbling block for OT, is likely to be a non-factor in our opinion. The IFC is still going to go ahead with the financing, so this may just be a way for the U.S to stay clean of any environmental/political risks involved with the project. This way they get to tread the thin line between the parties concerned, and appear neutral.
Parliament Complaints Committee to address “100,000 Apartment Project” protests
March 13 (news.mn) The Standing Committee on Complaints in Parliament is to hold a public announcement to control information and the implementation of the two projects “100 Thousand Apartments” and “New Reconstruction” at the Government Palace on March 19th.
Civilians and state agencies or NGOs are allowed to deliver their suggestions to the Standing Committee on Complaints in Parliament on Wednesday.
The public notice is designed to release information regarding the projects, answer the questions raised by civilians and give options about who is responsible for supervising the projects publicly.
100,000 Apartment protesters denied protest permits, to reapply
March 13 (news.mn) Over 200 protesters who were excluded from the lower interest loans for the “100 Thousand Apartments” project are continuing the second day of their sit-in strike at Sukhbaatar Square. They are the people who were successful applicants in the program “100 Thousand Apartments” launched by the former Government but have been left without their lower interest loan because the new Government halted the program and finances.
Even though those people announced they would call a hunger strike at the square the Sukhbaatar District authorities refused to issue them a permit to protest.
The reason behind the refusal to issue a permit was because the protesters did not give enough information about what the aim was in calling the hunger strike, the number of strikers, what facilities would be used and the start and finish dates of the strike in the petition.
The strikers plan to re-submit a petition to call a hunger strike. They claim that they will call a hunger strike nevertheless if there is no reply in three days after the petition has been resubmitted.
New Fortnightly Europe-Mongolia Groupage Freight Service from ART Logistics
Plans to Extend Routes to North America, Australia and South East Asia
LITHUANIA – MONGOLIA, March 13 (Handy Shipping Guide) – A.R.T. Logistics, a specialist multimodal project company that works with large multinational companies in the oil & gas, power generation and mining sectors moving freight throughout Central Asia, the CIS, Mongolia and Asia, has launched a twice monthly Less-Than-Truckload (LTL or groupage) service connecting Europe to Mongolia.
Operating from its hub in Vilnius, Lithuania, which A.R.T. Logistics established in 2008, the trucks will cover the 7,000 kilometres journey in between 11 and 13 days across very harsh terrain, using a team of experienced local drivers. Twenty five European countries are connected with multiple destinations in Central Asia on existing traffic lanes with the addition now of Ulan Bator in Mongolia on the new service via the Vilnius warehouse.
Based at the hub facility, the company’s staff will also provide a range of value-added logistics services including sorting, marking, packing, order collection and weighing. A.R.T. Logistics also organises cross docking of shipments according to the Customs requirements of the EU, Russia and Mongolia. Tatiana Serova, Commercial Director of A.R.T. Logistics said:
“We launched the trucking service primarily to meet growing demand from international mining companies operating in Mongolia, the transit time is the fastest available in the market. Apart from mining equipment we are transporting essential supplies for mining personnel. The deliveries are time critical and we have a robust and reliable service with our own experienced support staff based at key locations along the route and at the borders.”
Mongolia’s mining industry is booming and accounted for 87.7% of the country’s exports in 2012. Mongolia is the largest supplier of coking coal to China with approximately 34% share by volume in the first half of 2012. A.R.T Logistics says it also has plans to extend the Mongolian service to the North American market and eventually to Australia and South East Asia.
NATO: Launch of Two Science for Peace and Security Projects in Mongolia
February 28 (NATO) The first two civilian cooperation projects between NATO and Mongolia within the framework of the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme were launched on February 28 in Ulaanbaatar.
One project will establish a geo-database for the restoration of former military sites and will be carried out over the next two years by the Slovak Environmental Agency and the Institute of Geo-ecology at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. This represents an important step in the process of rehabilitating degraded land in Mongolia.
The second project lies in the field of information technology support and includes an upgrade to the information infrastructure of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences along with training. This will be jointly implemented by the Institute for Informatics at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the NATO Communications and Information Agency.
Both projects were launched at a ceremony jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. Vice Defence Minister A. Battur underlined the Mongolian contribution to NATO-led operations and welcomed the new civilian cooperation with the Alliance through the SPS Programme. He further emphasised his government’s commitment to ‘continue working closely with NATO in the future’.
Ts. Batbayar, Director of Policy Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised the SPS Programme as an ‘excellent venue for mutual and beneficial cooperation on issues of common interest,’ and pledged full support to the successful implementation of the two projects.
The President of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, B. Enkhtuvshin, highlighted the swift set up of both projects, and attached strong importance to cooperation in the field of science and technology. He reaffirmed that the knowledge acquired from the projects will be shared among Mongolian experts and serve future efforts in these fields.
Michael Gaul, Senior Advisor in the Emerging Security Challenges Division recognized the launch of these two projects as ‘an important achievement less than one year after Mongolia became the 8th global partner of the Alliance with the adoption of its first Individual Partnership Cooperation Programme last March’. He added that ‘while geography may separate the Euro-Atlantic region and Mongolia, both NATO Allies and global partners of the Alliance face similar security challenges and share common values that call for close cooperation’.
The launch event was also attended by several Allied Embassies in Ulaanbaatar, including the Ambassadors of France, Canada, and Turkey, with representatives from Germany and the United States also present.
President Elbegdorj receives OSCE Assembly President
March 13 (news.mn) The President of Mongolia, Ts.Elbegdorj, received the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Riccardo Migliori, on the first day of his official visit in Mongolia on March 13th.
Mongolia is the newest participating State of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe. Riccardo Migliori is the first President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to visit Mongolia. Mongolia formally joined the OSCE as the 57th member last December. Riccardo Migliori is conducting an official visit to Mongolia to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Mongolian and OSCE, to change opinions about the participation of Mongolian representatives in the upcoming 22nd Annual Session of OSCE that will be held in Istanbul next July or August.
President Migliori, joined by OSCE PA Vice-President Tonino Picula, met with Z.Enkhbold, the Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia and the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj on Wednesday, the first day of a three-day visit in Mongolia.
President Migliori also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, L.Bold and M.Batchimeg, the Chairwoman of the Mongolian delegation to the OSCE.
Advertising boards being removed under new rule
March 13 (news.mn) Infrastructure, Development Service of Khan-Uul district Governor`s Office made a list of advertising boards to be removed and delivered an official statement to force to related agencies by March 22nd.
The City`s Residents` Representative Khural passed a rule with its 3/32 decision last February for installing advert boards in Ulaanbaatar city area.
According to the rule for installing advert boards, it sets a forbidden zone for installation of advert board. The zone stretches from Ikh toirog, Peace Street, Chinggis Avenue to Naadam field in Yarmag.
And only information board installation is allowed to this zone. There were numerous compliments about disgraces, cause of bad impacts to traffic, degrade of seeing of advert boards along the city.
Since the new rule passed removing advert boards has been started. According to the list by Infrastructure, Development Service of Khan-Uul district Governor`s Office there are 128 advert boards of 97 companies and agencies in the forbidden zone.
Misc
Mongolia win first ever Gold medal at Asian Cycling Championship
Greater Noida, March 13 (Indian Sports News) Enkhjargal Tuvshinjargal created a piece of history when she won Mongolia’s first-ever gold medal in the Individual Time Trial (Women Elite) event of the Hero Asian Cycling Championship here at the Buddha International Circuit.
But it was Hong Kong’s Yao Pang who stole the thunder - her dream run in India continuing as she bagged her fourth gold today. The 18-year-old, who was equally adept to the road events, clinched gold in the Individual Time Trial with a timing of 19:54.693. Her earlier gold medals came in Points, Scratch and Individual Pursuit races.
Yekaterina Yuraitis of Kazakhstan too proved her versatility as a rider, winning silver to add to the two bronze medals on IG velodrome tracks. She clocked 20:36.01 while Razan Soboh of Jordan took the bronze at 20:40.061.
Geeturaj of India, who is competing in her maiden international event, finished ninth at 22:01.281 out of 13 riders. But she has managed the personal best in the event. “I am happy to have competed among the best. My timing today is the best ever and it was a good exposure to me. I can only improve from here,” she said.
The 20-year-old from Ulaanbaatar who clocked 39:27.303 in the Individual Time Trial, pushed the strong Japanese Minami Uwano and Hong Kong’s Wan Yiu Jamie to the second and third positions. The Japanese finished with a time of 39:30.090 while Jamie was 12 seconds off the Japanese at 39:42.824.
Considering the Mongolian took to cycling just a year ago, the performance at the continental championship was all the more praiseworthy. “I can’t believe I won today. I was expecting a medal but not the gold. This has come as a pleasant surprise to me and my teammates,’’ said Tuvshinjargal.
Describing the course as a steep one, the Mongolian divided her 25.6-km event in three phases, and the strategy seemed to have worked to her advantage. “I raced together with the group up to the 15-km point before breaking for a marginal lead up to the 22-km mark. In the last three kilometers I sprinted to make it to the finishing point. It was a different experience to race at an F1 track for the first time,” said the Mongolian,
“The summer in Mongolia is similar to India, so it wasn’t too tough to adjust here. But from September to February, it is extremely cold, the weather plummeting to minus 20-degree Celsius. I had to practice one month in Korea before the Hero Asian Cycling Championship here,’’ she added.
In fact, Mongolia’s India experience has proved to be lucky as this will be the second time that the nation has won a medal. The first one came during the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. “We have never won a gold before, this is historic for Mongolia. We love India. It is proving to be our happy hunting ground. I hope we can continue the winning spree,’’ said President of Cycling Federation of Mongolia Battur Davaakhuu, who is here to watch the races.
India’s Sunita Devi, who competed in the Individual Time Trial, finished 12th with a timing of 42:36.593 while Pakistan’s Sabiha Bibi finished second last at 18th at 48:51.655.
In the Men Junior Individual Time Trial event, Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Rive bagged gold, clocing 36:12.318 while Masaki Yamamoto of Japan finished second (36:24.222). Iran’s Mahdi Ebadallahirafsanjani won the bronze at 37:28.706. Lone Indian Rohit participating in the event finished 11th in a field of 17 riders. Rohit’s time was 39:37.308.
Out on the steppe
Celebrating the New Year far from the city, modern life
Editor’s note: Lucas Beard is a Durango High School graduate who is traveling in and writing about Mongolia for a year as a Fulbright Scholar.
March 12 (The Durango Herald) I spent the Mongolian New Year in a small, dung-heated tent, with a herder named Nergui and his family.
The family’s lifestyle bore absolutely no resemblance to any previous experience of mine. What initially started as an uncomfortable intrusion into the herders’ private lives blossomed into an amazing experience as I built a cherished relationship with the nomadic people.
…
I’m not sure I could ever live long-term in a tent disconnected from the rest of the world, but I’m certainly glad some people still do. I realized that they aren’t really disconnected at all. During my stay, I kept on thinking that Nergui’s family retained more true connections than the rest of us; their connections are just a little closer to home.
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Mogi Munkhdul Badral Bontoi
Cover Mongolia
Email: mogi@covermongolia.mn
Mobile: +976 9999 6779
Skype: mogibb
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