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Thursday, August 28, 2014
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Headlines in Italic are ones modified by Cover Mongolia from original
Mining Minister: FS, Tax Issue Remain to Meet Oyu Tolgoi Financing Deadline
By B. Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) it was sounded on August 27 at the traditional "Open mining' conference for the media.
Before its break, a spring session of the State Great Khural (parliament) adopted laws on petroleum and on minerals, "which has created a more comprehensible and more stable legal environment in the mining sphere," the Minister D.Gankhuyad said. Some works have already started but the regulations on implementing these acts have not been issued yet, "and this makes foreign investors wait". To improve the situation, a group has been formed which has been working on seven regulations, three drafts of agreements and one set of rules, he said. Regarding the law on petroleum, other regulations and rules are being elaborated, he added.
17 out of 21 agreements proposals on exploration are about coal bed methane gas exploration, "so such agreements are expected with "Erdenes Tavantolgoi" and "MAK" (Mongol Alt Corporation) prior to others," he said.
Other topics the Minister touched upon were about 106 exploration and exploitation licenses and the Ouy tolgoi ground mine. "Responsible parties will conclude by this September 30 a discussion over the financing of this mine, two questions awaiting their solution--the feasibility study of the mine, which must be worked out by the OT company and considered by the Minerals professional council, and OT's tax problem, which has been considered by a related body," he said.
Viking Mines takeover of Auminco now unconditional
August 27 (Proactive Investors) Viking Mines' (ASX:VKA) takeover bid for unlisted Mongolian-focused coal developer Auminco Mines is now free of all defeating conditions.
The company has waived the remaining condition related to the size of its capital raising.
The company is also currently raising up to $3.04 million through an offer of shares and has already has already exceeded its minimum level of $2,090,000.
Viking has already received acceptances for more than 97% of Auminco shares. The takeover closes on 26 September.
Auminco shareholders will emerge with a 47% stake in Viking after Viking's takeover offer which is significant as Auminco was established by founding shareholders and management ofCoalworks Limited that was sold to Whitehaven Coal (ASX: WHC) for ~$200 million in mid-2012.
Besides the flagship Berkh Uul Bituminous Coal Project, which has already signed four non-binding memoranda of understanding with Mongolian industrial users relating to future potential coal supply, Auminco also holds:
- The Khonkhor Zag anthracitic coal project in the Trans-Altai Coal Basin in Govi-Altai Province, South West Mongolia;
- The early stage Buduun Project in a proven hard coal region in Khovd Province, Western Mongolia;
- The Dalt and Budargana coal projects in Dundgovi Province, Central Mongolia; and
- The Tsairt Zinc joint venture project in Sukhbaatar province in eastern Mongolia.
Capital Raising
Viking is raising up to $3,040,000 by the issue of up to 80 million shares priced at $0.038 each with 1 free attaching option for every four shares subscribed.
These are exercisable at $0.09 at any time on or before 30 April 2017.The company has already received a strong show of support from investors with applications for its offer of shares and options having exceeded its minimum level of $2,090,000.
This is expected to swell further before it closes on Friday, 29 August 2014.
Analysis
With the waiver of the last remaining condition and acceptances already over 97%, Viking Mines is poised to complete the acquisition of Auminco Mines, giving it a package of attractive coal projects in Mongolia.
Berkh Uul in particular has drawn considerable interest with four non-binding MoUs with local industrial users and potential to produce a high quality, high energy thermal coal suitable for export markets.
David Phillips to highlight Mongolia rental potential at IRC conference
by Murray Pollok
August 26 (International Rental News) David Phillips, managing director of UK-based Off-Highway Research, will use his presentation at the 2nd International Rental Conference (IRC) to shine some light on four Asian markets that offer long term potential for rental.
Mr Phillips, a world authority on construction equipment sales trends, will focus on Myanmar, Mongolia, Thailand and the Philippines, looking at sales of construction equipment, trends in equipment use, and the degree to which equipment rental has taken hold.
The conference takes place on 24 November in Shanghai, China, on the day before the Bauma China exhibition. See www.khl.com/ircfor details.
"Much of the research that Off-Highway Research conducts focuses on the high volume markets such as North America, Europe, China and India", said Mr Phillips, "But several times a year we look at some of the less developed markets in the more difficult parts of the world which are showing great growth potential, and which have been under researched and little understood in the past.
"The multi-client studies that we have done recently include Myanmar, Mongolia, Thailand and the Philippines, so I thought that a review of the main elements of these fascinating emerging markets might add some colour to the conference."
Each of the four markets has its particular dynamic. Mongolia, for example, is in the midst of a boom in the mining sector, with several rental companies already getting established, such as New Gobi Rentals, Mongolia Equipment Rental Corp (a Hertz franchise holder) and Wagner Asia. Thailand, meanwhile, already has many equipment rental businesses, including several subsidiaries of major Japanese rental firms.
The IRC conference has high level speakers, including Masaki Kurita (President/CEO, Nikken Corp), Greg Parfitt (Executive General Manager for Sales and Specialist Business, Coates Hire), Zeng Guang'an (Chairman of Guangxi LiuGong Machinery and President of Guangxi LiuGong Group), Li Hua Bin (General Manager, Shanghai Jinheyuan Equipment Rental Co., Ltd.) and Lawrence Poh (CEO, Lei Shing Hong Machinery).
Conference sponsors are:
• Gold sponsors: Genie (Terex AWP), XCMG
• Silver sponsors: JLG, LiuGong, Sinoboom
• Supporting sponsors: ATN, Haulotte Group, Ritchie Bros Auctioneers, Skyjack
Explorers sense mixed messages from Mongolia
By Haydn Black
August 26 (Gold & Minerals Gazette) China and Mongolia have upgraded their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, a move that should benefit the resources and exploration sectors of both nations, and which could also restore investor confidence in the Mongolian mining scene.
Last week China's President Xi Jinping visited Ulaanbaatar, signing 24 Memoranda of Understanding and agreements outlining strategic cooperation initiatives between the two countries across multiple sectors.
Many of the cooperation agreements relate to infrastructure development within Mongolia, and offer access to both rail and north-eastern sea ports in China to not only facilitate increased levels of trade bilaterally but also internationally.
Six seaports, including the major ports of Tianjin, Dalian, and Jinzhou were named to enable Mongolian exports to reach seaborne markets.
Border crossing co-operation and access to rail capacity within China were also covered by the agreements.
Coal exports will be a leading contributor to a projected increase in trade out to 2020 given Mongolia's close geographical position to some of the largest coking coal consumers worldwide – China, Russia, Japan, Korea, Turkey and Europe.
Next month Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to sign a number of similar agreements between Russia and Mongolia.
China has also agreed to participate in a trilateral summit between Russia, Mongolia and China with trade being a high priority.
Significant
These agreements represent a significant step forward for Mongolia and companies with resource projects in the region, including Aspire Mining's (AKM) Ovoot coking coal project and Guildford Coal's(GUF) South Gobi project, which trucked its first load of coal from its start-up mining operations over the weekend.
Interest in Mongolia's mineral riches in on the decline in some quarters, with Voyager Resources (VOR) and General Mining Corporation (GMM) saying it is all too hard, while Mongolia Resource Corporation (MUB) remains mired in legal limbo caused by a former director, and the former Mongolian Resources has switched its focus to Sri Lankan graphite as MRL Corporation (MRF).
Modun Resources (MOU) is getting out of Mongolian coal too, lamenting that despite the success it has achieved in generating a 478 million tonne resource at its Nuurst thermal coal project the market just doesn't seem to care.
Modun has been unable to secure finalisation of an off-take agreement with the Mongolian Government and get the operation into production, so it is considering getting out of resources and into IT.
And while there is no doubt Mongolia has fallen from favour, others take a more positive view on the potential riches buried beneath the Central Asian nation, as Viking Mines (VKA) confirmed recently with strong support for its projects in its ongoing capital raising, while Tian Poh Resources is in the IPO market seeking support for its copper-gold exploration plays in the nation.
The Perth-based Viking is seeking to raise $3 million, and managed to crack its minimum $2 million floor within a week of issuing its prospectus.
It expects to wrap up the offer by the end of the week.
Potential
Viking, which also has gold exploration projects in Ghana in West Africa, has as its primary focus is its takeover of coal developer Auminco, where it has already booked 97% acceptances.
The funds will be used to complete the Auminco takeover, to fund exploration and development of its gold and coal assets and for general working capital purposes.
Auminco has secured four agreements with prospective coal buyers in recent months, including withKhutul Cement and Lime, Mongolia's largest cement manufacturer.
That company is set to substantially increase cement production to meet a growing domestic demand, increasing its coal demand increasing from 250,000 tonnes per year to as much as 500,000 tpa.
Viking is optimistic about winning a big slice of KCLC's business as low sulphur content is a feature of Berkh Uul coal, which is important for cement manufacture.
It was the fourth memorandum of understanding secured for Auminco's bituminous coal project in north-eastern Mongolia since April, alongside MOUs with the Darkhan metallurgical plant, the Darkhan power station and the Erdenet power plant.
Commencement
Elsewhere in Mongolia, Guildford has commenced the first 8,000t shipment of coking coal from its South Gobi mine after almost a year of negotiations with regulators.
The final piece of the jigsaw was a sign off on a permit to utilise a 98 kilometre haul road linking the mine to the Chinese border crossing
The next priority for Guildford is to negotiate with a number customers in China to take delivery of the coking coal brand in the Chinese market via long term off-take agreements.
Guildford entered the project three years ago.
Also keen to remain in the country is Haranga Resources (HAR), which shares an office with Voyager.
It says that a change in the law back in July has greatly improved the country's mining industry environment and allowed it to potentially extend its exploration rights by a further three years up until 2017.
The decision to return to overturn a 2012 law banning new mineral exploration licenses, and to recognise the JORC code, and a relaxing of strict timelines to submit a feasibility study means Haranga will persevere with its Dund Bulag, Bayantsogt and Undur Ukhaa iron ore projects where it has defined a resource of 254 million tonnes grading 17.2% Fe.
In Mongolia, as everywhere, hope springs eternal.
NUR: Interim Results 2014
August 27, National United Resources Holdings Ltd. (HKEx:254) --
…
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Change of Company Name
The name of the Company has been changed from "China Outdoor Media Group Limited 中國戶外媒體集團有限公司" to "National United Resources Holdings Limited 國家聯合資 源控股有限公司", effective on 21 January 2014, for presenting a more precise image in its diversifying development progress of the Group.
Business Review and Prospects
For the six months ended 30 June 2014, the Group has been operating the following major business segments:
Coking coal trading business
The Group has successfully anchored into coking coal trading business since the second half of 2013. Trust from suppliers and transporters in Mongolia was the core key in making this business feasible and profitable. As a listed company in Hong Kong for decades can surely bring the Group credits in building up this business in Mongolia. The Group believed that this natural resources trading business was with enormous development potentials. In this reporting period, the Group had achieved the following progress in this business segment:• In March, 2014, the Company and 中航國際煤炭物流有限公司 (AVIC International Coal Logistics Company Limited*) entered into a strategic cooperation framework agreement, in which both parties have confirmed an intention to cooperate in respect of sale, logistic and storage management of specialty coal from Mongolia for 3 years and up to 15 million tons in aggregate;
• In April 2014, a subsidiary of the Company entered into coal purchase agreements with Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi JSC, a Mongolian state-owned joint stock company, for securing supplies of 1,750,000 tons of coal in Mongolia; and
• In May 2014, a subsidiary of the Company entered into a coal purchase agreement with IKH Gobi Energy LLC for the purchase of 1,000,000 tons of specialty coal (anthracite) in Mongolia.
Besides securing coal supplies in Mongolia, the Group has also successfully proceeded its development in natural resources related logistic businesses, like:
• In April 2014, a subsidiary of the Company, entered into the joint venture agreement with the Baotou Haorui Properties Company Limited in relation to the formation of a joint venture company in the PRC to be engaged in the investment and development of a bonded logistics park located in the border crossing point of Ganqimaodu, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the PRC; and
• In June 2014, a subsidiary of the Company contracted for acquiring a group of companies principally engaged in international logistic and trading businesses between the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine in the South Gobi Province of Mongolia and the port of Gan Qi Mao Du in the PRC, with self-owned trucks and garages. As at the date of this announcement, the acquisition has not been completed.
With the above progress, the Group is in a good trend in establishing a full supply chain of coal from Mongolia to the PRC.
…
Revenue
During the six months ended 30 June 2014, the revenue of the Group was principally derived from the following business segments:
(i) Coking coal trading business
The revenue for the six months ended 30 June 2014 generated from the coking coal business amounted to approximately HK$276,835,000 (2013: Nil). The gross profit of this business was approximately 24.4% (2013: Nil). During the six months ended 30 June 2014, the Group had sold approximately 483,000 tons of coal, when compare to approximately 268,000 tons for the six months ended 31 December 2013.
…
APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Mr. Feng Yongming, currently VP), August 27
MSE News for August 27: Top 20 -0.07% to 15,767.30, Turnover ₮6 Million
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) At the Stock Exchange trades on Wednesday, a total of 12 thousand and 074 shares of 12 JSCs were traded costing six million 010 thousand and 035.00 togrog.
"Genco tour bureau" /10 thousand and 010 units/, "Tavantolgoi" /470 units/, "Kherlen khivs" /442/, "E-trans logistics" /441/ and "Merex" /300 units/ were the most actively traded in terms of trading volume, in terms of trading value were "Tavantolgoi" (MNT two million 373 thousand and 500), "Talkh chikher" (MNT one million 999 thousand and 500), "Genco tour bureau" (MNT 860 thousand and 870), "Gobi" (MNT 421 thousand and 200) and "Baganuur" (MNT 107 thousand and 400).
The total market capitalization was set at MNT one trillion 615 billion 694 million 233 thousand and 221. The Index of Top-20 JSCs was 15,767.30, decreasing 10.87 units or 0.07% against the previous day.
Working Group Backs MSE for Trading Government Securities, Submits Proposal to Finance Minister
August 25 (MSE) By resolution No.178 of 2014 of Minister of Finance, a working group was established to develop Government securities domestic market, to increase competition and transparency for participation of foreign and domestic investors, to develop and to improve securities trading, clearing and settlement systems.
This working group leaded by Sub Minister of Finance, Purev.S, and those are Ministry of Finance, Financial Services Commission, Mongol Bank, Mongolian Stock exchange related workers worked.
On 21st of August, 2014, the above working group made recommendations that is related to governments securities are supposed to conducting through Stock Exchange.
When Finance Minister received it then make last decision after government meeting will discuss about it.
Taiwan plans to help Mongolia in capital market
Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) Taiwan plans to help Mongolia set up trading on an emerging stock board and a deposit insurance system, Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Chairman Tseng Ming-chung said Wednesday.
Tseng plans to visit Mongolia Thursday, a reciprocal visit following that country's financial supervisory officials' trip to Taiwan in July.
The FSC may sign a supervisory memorandum of understanding (MOU) with its Mongolian counterpart during the trip for the trading on an emerging stock board, a market with less strict regulations than the over the counter (OTC) market, according to Tseng.
The Mongolian authority has also shown interests in deposit insurance, he added.
Tseng said helping Mongolia improve its capital market could showcase the international credentials of Taiwan's capital market.
Early morning rates: Khan (Non-Cash Buy ₮1,810 Sell ₮1,828), TDB (Non-Cash Buy ₮1,812 Sell ₮1,832), Golomt (Non-Cash Buy ₮1,810 Sell ₮1,832), XacBank (Non-Cash Buy ₮1,810 Sell ₮1,832), State Bank (Non-Cash Buy ₮1,810 Sell ₮1,830) FX rates
BoM MNT Rates: Wednesday, August 27 Close
| 8/26 | 8/26 | 8/25 | 8/22 | 8/21 | 8/20 | 8/19 |
USD | 1,826.34 | 1,829.01 | 1,835.86 | 1,847.70 | 1,855.58 | 1,858.68 | 1,859.45 |
EUR | 2,408.21 | 2,413.01 | 2,421.41 | 2,455.13 | 2,463.19 | 2,470.84 | 2,482.46 |
CNY | 297.15 | 297.26 | 298.45 | 300.25 | 301.63 | 302.58 | 302.68 |
GBP | 3,026.70 | 3,032.50 | 3,041.74 | 3,065.61 | 3,078.69 | 3,089.87 | 3,105.47 |
RUB | 50.53 | 50.59 | 50.73 | 51.22 | 51.11 | 51.27 | 51.44 |
August MNT vs USD, CNY Chart:
Opposition MPP Gives PM Advice on Boosting Economic Ties with Russia
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) The parliamentary faction of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) Tuesday sent an official document to the Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag regarding a forthcoming visit of the President of the Russian Federation to Mongolia.
The document says that the "MPP laid a ground of good neighborhood, traditional and friendly relations and cooperation with Russia, and has been maintaining a policy to widen these ties and to bring them into a strategic partnership level". "This is why the current Prime Minister must pay a vital importance to the visit of the President Putin".
"Researchers and observers are saying that Russia has made efforts to intensify its economic and commercial cooperation with the Asian countries, and this must be noticed by Mongolian political leaders," it says.
After this some "directions" are given to the PM on augmenting external trade turnover with Russia and increasing export products. "Firstly, the PM should tackle an issue concerning a construction of infrastructure, energy, oil and gas pipelines through Mongolian territory, fully exploiting a chance to serve as an economic and business bridge between Asia and Europe. Mongolia now should be dynamic so as to increase sizes and kinds of goods to be exported to Russia and to intensify contracts and talks on supplying meat and meat products to Russia."
"Secondly, the Premier should implement largest strategically-important projects and programmes together with Russia in frames of bringing the economic cooperation to a newer level and strengthening the national security including economic security.
"Thirdly, the Premier should resolve matters together with Russia on building a joint factory equipped with the latest hi tech to process foods and other consumer products," the document says.
Twitter users outraged at blocked access to porn sites
By Khash-Erdene
August 27 (UB Post) A new wave of outrage hit Mongolia's Twitter communities as the Communications Regulatory Commission blocked access to Mongolian pornographic websites last week.
Mongolia's Twitter users have expressed outrage at the recent conviction of Ts.Bat on defamation charges for speaking out against Roads and Transport Minister A.Gansukh on Twitter, using the hashtag "#FreeBat", which was accompanied by the hashtag "#FreePorn" shortly after the targeted porn sites were blocked.
"With these new measures, the Democratic Party can't hope to be reelected in 2016 #FreeBat #FreePorn," said Twitter user @bayarkuu.
"Xaxaxa #FreeBat #FreePorn, they say blocking alcohol made us alcoholics, blocking cigarettes made us smokers, and blocking porn will make us prostitutes," said @ariunbileg.
The critics on Mongolian social media view the blocking of porn sites to be a violation of internet freedom, which will lead to further limitations to cyber freedom.
Some 166 "blacklisted" sites were named by the Mongolia Communications Regulatory Commission, Intellectual Property Community, Criminal Police Department, and Fair Competition and Consumer Rights Protection Agency.
According to the authorities, the sites were blocked because they violated the laws on obscenity, children's rights, intellectual property protection, fair competition, consumer rights, advertising regulations and the Criminal Code.
The list of blocked sites are available at black-list.mn.
Mongolia seeks to return revoked "106" licenses back to or compensate owners
August 26 (business-mongolia.com) "106" exploration licenses will be issued to its original owners. (Mogi: ummm, not exactly)
Thanks to the approval of the amended Mineral Law of Mongolia, Ministry of Minerals informed that widely criticized "106" mining and exploration licenses can be issued in accordance with the adopted law.
Previously, three level courts of Mongolia (district, city/aimag court and Supreme Court) made conclusion that action of 106 license issuance without tender selection procedure was illegal. As result, former Chairman of the Mineral Resource Authority was sentenced. Therefore, the Government issued resolution #16 to approve "the regulation on announcement of tender bid of 106 mining and exploration licenses", in order to compensate the previous owners.
It is said that the regulation covers all aspects of the tender bidding procedure, including evaluation process, providing of equal treatment, evaluation committee and so on.
Mr. B.Batkhuu, Director of the Policy Implementation Coordination Department of the Ministry of Minerals, said that "According to the regulation, bidders shall place 30% of the total bid in the corresponding account. If bidder is granted the license, it shall place the remaining 70% to the account. If the previous owner fails to be selected, it shall be compensated with the bidding payment and considered as to be compensated. If the previous owner wins the bid, it can continue its exploration works immediately."
Previous owners shall confirm its expenditure based on their financial report and statement to the tax department and with the confirmed expenditure will become the bottom-line of the bid. The first tender bid on 14 exploration licenses with confirmed expense is ready to be announced. In the first tender bid lot, the previous owners shall not need to place tender security payment.
Brief information of the first lot (14 licenses):
These 14 licenses are located in 5 aimags' territory with 163,565.05 hectares:
- in Bayankhongor aimag 6 licenses
- in Dornogobi aimag 3 licenses
- in Dundgobi aimag 1 license
- in Umnugobi aimag 1 license
- in between Dundgobi and Umnugobi aimags 1 license
- in Khovd aimag 1 license
- in Ulaanbaatar City 1 license
The smallest license has 94.49 hectare exploration area, and the biggest one has 56,098.52 hectare area.
Mongolia: Coal, Oil, Copper Concentrate Exports Rise 26%, 46%, 100% in First 7 Months
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) In the first seven months of this year, Mongolia produced 565.7 thousand tons of copper concentrate, exploited 12.6 million tons of coal, 4.3 tons of gold and 222.9 thousand tons of fluorspar.
Moreover, the country produced 3.7 million tons of iron ore, 56.4 thousand tons of zinc concentrate and exploited 4.0 million barrels oil.
Against the same period of 2013, the exploitation of copper concentrate increased 45.4%, iron ore--by 18.0%, fluorspar--by 51.9% and oil--by 53.9%.
Mongolia exported 10.4 million tons of coal, 703.9 thousand tons of copper concentrate, 1.8 thousand tons of molybdenum concentrate, 176.6 thousand tons of spar, 3.1 million tons of iron ore, 53.2 thousand tons of zinc, and 3.8 million barrels of oil.
The coal export rose by 25.8%, oil--by 45.7% and copper concentrate--twice against the export size of 2013. Thus, money of 624.7 billion has been placed in the state budget by the mining sector.
China grants RMB 1.3 billion aid & US$1 billion soft loan in developing Mongolian mining sector
August 27 (business-mongolia.com) "Transparent Mining" regular press conference is organized by the Ministry of Mining.
During the press conference, officials provided detailed information on the agreements signed during the Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping.
"Within the framework of the joint statement on development of the profound strategic partnership relations between Mongolia and China, over 20 documents were signed and railway transit transport agreement, medium term program of development of the trade and economy cooperation between two countries were the most important documents" stated by the Ministry officials.
During the visit, grant aid of 1.3 billion RMB to the development of the mining sector and 1 billion US$ soft loan or purchase agreement was signed.
Japan to Introduce Geothermal Heating Technology to Mongolia
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) The State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy D.Delgertsogt Wednesday met a delegation led by Mr Kodama Toshihiro, a director of the Hokkaido Governor's Office of International Business and Economic Affairs.
A cooperation memorandum was established in September of 2013 among this Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Agriculture, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Sorachi social and ecological institute of Japan to introduce in Mongolia the Japanese technology of exploiting soil heat.
At the meeting, the sides discussed a project to be implemented in accordance with the memorandum and with participation of the Energy Ministry on expanding collaboration between Mongolia and Japanese Hokkaido Prefecture.
Present at the meeting were also Takeno Naoto, a chair of the international cooperation department of the Hokkaido branch of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade; Shinji Yoshimura, a researcher at the Hokkaido Governor's Office of International Business and Economic Affairs.; and Eda, a project coordinator.
Altanbulag-Zamyn Uud Highway plans move forward
August 27 (news.mn) Mongolia and China announced the launch of the "Steppe Road" project during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Mongolia last week.
The foundation of the "Steppe Road" project will be laid in September. This will be the start of a massive project to build a highway that connects Altanbulag-Zamiin Uud.
Chinggis Land Development Group-New Development Road partnership was selected for project coordination of the 1,000 km highway construction project to be complete in two to three years. Mongolia joined the Asian Highway Network, signing the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network with members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, on April 26, 2004.
The Asian Highway Network, or the Great Asian Highway, is a 141,000 km network of roads running across 32 countries. Mongolia will be responsible for building roads on AH3, AH32 and AH4 within its territory.
The previous Government of Mongolia and State Property Committee announced an open tender for the Altanbulag-Zamiin Uud highway project on AH3 of the Asian Highway Network in 2011. Chinggis Land Development Group-New Development Road was selected from a number of national and foreign companies and banking financial institutions.
As the project coordinator, Chinggis Land Development Group signed a concession contract on the highway's construction. This means the group will be the owner of the highway from 2015 to 2040. The project coordinator will transfer the road's ownership to the State in 2040 according to the concession contract.
Mongolia meeting domestic wheat demand with subsidized loans
August 27 (Mongolian Economy) Farmers were given fuel, wheat and fertilizer to help meet domestic wheat demand. This formed a part of the Ministry of Manufacturing and Agriculture's campaign to fully supply the domestic wheat market. This year wheat plantations occupied 315.6 hectares of land throughout the country. For these plantations 2.7 tonnes of fuel for 724 enterprises and farmers, 93,000tonnes of wheat seeds for 290 enterprises and farmers, 152.7 tonnes of plant protecting substances for 322 enterprises and farmers and 215 tonnes of fertilizer for 57 enterprises was provided as a loan with a 20-50 percent deposit required.
With the purpose to improve quality and supply of vegetables, 10 types of vegetable seeds worth MNT 120 million was also distributed among farmers. Apart from plantations hit by a summer hailstorm in Selenge, Bulgan and Khuvsgul provinces – totaling 2,859 hectares – this year's harvest is going according to expectations.
In addition to this, tractors worth USD 12 million will be purchased from China. The Ministry of Economic Development and The Export and Import Bank of China have started the cooperation for delivering the equipment, which is expected to arrive this winter.
This year, Mongolia's vegetable demand has reached 240,000 tonnes of which 50 percent can potentially be supplied domestically, said the Ministry of Manufacturing and Agriculture. Minister Tuvdendorj SH. said the price of 1 tonne of wheat should cost no more than MNT 460,000.
According to officials, for next year's plantation 4,101,000 tonnes of seed, for national seed reserves 79,000 tonnes of seed, for forage 254,000 tonnes and for alcohol production 10.1 tonnes will be utilised from the total harvest. The remaining wheat, 3,196,000 tonnes, will be for flour production. To meet annual domestic flour demand 320,000 tonnes of wheat is needed.
Mongolia Starts Manufacturing LED Lights
By B. Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) The "TD LED" LLC has started to manufacture LED lights, which are considered a very economical modern lighting system in terms of finance and ecology.
The company, located in Govil baga in Erdenet city of Orkhon aimag, imports main parts such as chips and transformers from the USA, Germany, Taiwan and Singapore, and assembles the LED lights itself. This factory employs six workers so far and is ready to supply wide range of products--for home and office use, for street lightening and factories, in 1-20 and 30 watts.
An official opening of the factory will run on September 11. The company's products have insurance and are guaranteed for 3-5 years.
Will UB host Universiade-2033?
By B. Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) The Mayor of the UB city has received Claud-Louis Gallien, a president of International University Sports Federation (FISU).
He expressed an interest in organizing Universiad-2033 festival in Mongolia. It is a common standard of big cities to organize Universiade, prior to obtaining the right to become the Olympic Games host city. For example, Moscow after Universiad-1973 organized 1980's Olympic Games, Beijing also got the right to organize the 2008 Olympic Games after hosting Universiade-2001.
So, this event has become a criterion for selection of the host city of Olympics. It can be said that the preparation for hosting the Universiade-2033 in our capital city has begun as the regular meeting of FISU steering committee is taking place here. The meeting is to complete on August 28.
Ulaanbaatar Announces Weekend Bicycle Tour-Holiday at Khui Doloon Khudag, August 30-September 28
August 27 (infomongolia.com) As part of celebrations the 375th anniversary of the capital city in 2014 and Friendly Ulaanbaatar Program implementation, the UB Administration is organizing "Healthy Citizen - Eco Development" program in two stages.
The first phase is a Bicycle Tour-Holiday at Khui Doloon Khudag, Tuv Aimag from August 30 to September 28, 2014 and the second is Snow Festival from December 01 to March 13, 2015.
In the scope of the first program, bicycle tour, sales, renting, repair shop as well as other sporting activities will be organized such as bicycle x-treme sporting, street basketball, sand volleyball and a mini-park for children on every weekend between 10 o'clock in the morning and 08:00 pm.
Moreover, free-buses will be serving from State Academic Drama Theatre to Khui Doloon Khudag every two hours and the opening ceremony will be held at 11:00 am on August 30, 2014.
Related:
Outdoor events and cycling at Khui Doloon Khudag – news.mn, August 27
Bicycle trips on weekends – Montsame, August 27
South Korea: Ministerial talks boost partnership with Mongolia
(Mongolian Foreign Minister Luvsanvandan Bold, center left, and Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, to his right, stand together on Tuesday before bilateral talks in Ulaanbaatar. Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
August 28 (Korea JoongAng Daily) Korea and Mongolia agreed to set up their first ministerial-level consultative committee to discuss bilateral issues and economic cooperation, as well as to bolster their comprehensive partnership ahead of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.
Mongolian President Elbegdorj on Tuesday also expressed "strong support" to Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se for Korea's Eurasia Initiative, President Park Geun-hye's vision to boost relations between Europe and Asia.
Yun was on a three-day official visit to Mongolia, which concluded yesterday.
Additionally, Elbegdorj said he supported the proposal for a consultative channel on nuclear safety in Northeast Asia.
Yun conveyed to the president his hopes that Mongolia, "as a country that succeeded in its regime transition, will share its experience with North Korea," to which Elbegdorj communicated a willingness on Mongolia's part to induce change in Pyongyang and help to curb the North's nuclear program.
Mongolia is a strategically significant country in Eurasia.
President Xi Jinping held a summit on Tuesday with Elbegdorj, the first visit by a Chinese president to Ulaanbaatar in 11 years. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to the country in March, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will take a trip to Mongolia next month.
On Tuesday, Yun also met with Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag and held talks with his Mongolian counterpart Luvsanvandan Bold on fostering the two nations' comprehensive partnership, which was established in 2011.
Along with establishing regular meetings for a newly formed joint committee, the two ministers agreed to boost high-level exchanges and host commemorative events leading up to next year's celebrations to mark the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1990.
They also agreed on the need to expand the role of Korean companies in developing resources and building infrastructure in Mongolia, Seoul's fourth-largest trading partner.
Chinese Culture Week opened in Mongolia
(President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan and Mongolia President Elbegdorj's wife Bolormaa together attended the ceremony for Chinese Culture Week. [Photo/weibo.com])
August 27 (ChinaCulture.org) President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan and Mongolia President Elbegdorj's wife Bolormaa together attended the ceremony for Chinese Culture Week, which celebrated the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mongolia and the China-Mongolia Friendship and Exchange Year. They cut the ribbon for the ceremony, enjoyed a performance by Mongolian artists, attended the China Dunhuang Art Exhibition and saw the Dunhuang mural copies and replicas of clay sculptures and instruments.
Cai Wu, minister of Chinese Cultural Ministry, addressed at the ceremony that President Xi and Mongolia President Elbegdorj issued a joint declaration on 21 Aug that agreed to raise the bilateral relations to the level of all-round strategic partnership. At this historic moment, hosting Chinese Culture Week was not only to salute to each other's culture and art by friendly exchanges, but also to commemorate the 65-year-long diplomatic relations between the two countries and express people's firm confidence to build a bright future. The Silk Road is a friendly road connecting history and reality, which has spread Chinese art and culture to the world. As part of the Silk Road culture, the Dunhuang frescoes can promote the exchange and cooperation between China and Mongolia.
Oyungerel, minister of the Mongolian Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the cooperation between China and Mongolia boasts a profound and age-old history, and has made continuous progress in the new century. Mongolian people respect Chinese culture, which has a history of several thousand years. Many Mongolian young people have pursued further study in China to study Chinese culture and have made contributions to the continued growth of Mongolian culture. He believed that the fine tradition would achieve sustainable development in the future.
The opening exhibition of Chinese Culture Week was co-hosted by China Arts and Entertainment Group, China's Dunhuang Research Academy and Mongolian National Gallery of Art, and was supported by Regong Painting Academy of Qinghai province. Mural copies and replicas of clay sculptures and instruments collected by Dunhuang Research Academy and about 100 Thangka works created by Regong Painting Academy were displayed.
On Aug 22, an art exhibition on Chinese tea culture, From Beijing to Ulan Bator, opened in the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator. The exhibition was an elegant experience of Chinese culture.
Apart from the exhibition, a comprehensive art group sent by the cultural department of Jilin province will hold two performances at Mongolian National Palace of Culture on Aug 26-27. Cultural week will close on Aug 30. And this year, Mongolia will also hold a "Mongolia Cultural Week" in China.
Social, Environmental and Other
UNDP Human Development Report 2014 to Be Presented in Mongolia
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) A meeting will run Thursday at Mongolia's State University (MSU) to present the Human Development Report-2014 entitled "Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience".
At the action, co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the MSU, reports will be delivered and presentations made. The meeting will be chaired by Dr N.Batnasan, Dean of Business School at the MSU.
The opening remarks will be made by Mr Thomas Eriksson, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Mongolia; Dr A.Galtbayar, the MSU rector; and Mr D.Battsogt MP, a head of the parliamentary Standing committee on social policy, education, culture and sciences.
The presentations will be made by Dr Saurabh Shina, UNDP senior economist, and by Dr Ch.Khashchuluun from the MSU department of economics.
Batchimeg Tuvshintugs stuns Koneru in women's chess to take joint lead
by Moni Mathews (moni@khaleejtimes.com)
The final leg of the World Chess Federation (Fide) Women's Grand Prix offers E60,000 for the tournament and E90,000 total cash prizes for the Grand Prix.
27 August 2014 (Khaleej Times) Batchimeg Tuvshintugs of Mongolia upset pacesetting Koneru Humpy of India to take a joint four-way early lead in the Fide Women's Grand Prix at the Sharjah Chess Club, near the Sharjah International Airport in Sharjah.
Women's world champion Hou Yifan of China kept her form and reputation intact when she outplayed Nafisa Muminova of Uzbekistan while comptriot Zhao Xue downed another team-mate Zhu Chen. Harika Dronavalli of India outplayed Alina L'Ami of Romania to go up early in the world series championship that will decide the challenger for the next title round against the world champ.
The games between China's Ju Wenjun and Anna Ushenina of Ukraine and between Elina Danielian of Armenia and Tatiana Kosintseva of Russia ended in draws.
The final leg of the World Chess Federation (Fide) Women's Grand Prix offers E60,000 for the tournament and E90,000 total cash prizes for the Grand Prix.
According to veteran chess arbiter and analyst Casto Abundo: "Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy leads the Fide Women's Grand Prix series going into the last leg of the 6-tournament series. Games start 3pm daily with rest days on August 29 and September 3."
"Twelve players are competing in a single round robin of 11 rounds. In the Women's Grand Prix, each player plays in four of the six Grand Prix tournaments, but only the best three results count."
The player accumulating the highest number of points will get the right to Challenge the Women's World Champion in a match next year. If the same player wins both events, the second placed in the Grand Prix circuit will become the Challenger.
In Sharjah's opening round, Hou Yifan used the Sicilian Defense and sacrificed the exchange to pry open the castled king of Muminova to force resignation on the 42nd move. Zhao Xue used the Queen's Indian Defense and created passed pawns on both wings to threaten promotion and win in 68 moves.
Koneru Humpy used the Colle System but was forced to give her Queen for two Rooks in the middle game. Batchimeg Tuvshintugs was set to win more material when Koneru resigned on the 36th move.
Harika Dronavalli of India essayed the Queen's Gambit Declined and created two connected passed pawns on the queenside.
She advanced the pawn and was about to promote it when Alina L'Ami of Romania resigned on the 56thmove.
Before the final leg in Sharjah, Koneru Humpy led the Grand Prix with 370 points followed by reigning women's world champion Hou Yifan with 365.
Koneru won the previous Women's Grand Prix tournaments held June last year in Dilijan, Armenia and repeated her victory in the next leg, September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Koneru tied for 7th last June in Lopota, Georgia which was won by Hou Yifan.
Other previous Women's Grand Prix tournaments in this series were held in Geneva, Switzerland and Khanti Mansiysk, Russia.
Games are broadcast live through the www.fide.com site with live video coverage and post-game interviews of players.
Mongolian Takes Silver from 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games
August 27 (infomongolia.com) The 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games are being held in Nanjing, PR of China on August 16-28, where about 3,600 teenagers from 201 nations are competing for 222 events in 28 sports.
At this second Summer Youth Olympics, Mongolian National Youth Team was represented with five athletes namely Ts.Tsogtbaatar (Men's Judo), Ts.Khulan (Women's Judo), B.Dulguun (Women's Freestyle Wrestling), N.Angirmaa (10m Air Rifle Women), and M.Ankhtsetseg (Women Weightlifting).
All events are nearly finished and after overall results, Mongolian team achieved a Silver medal by Bolormaa DULGUUN in the Women's 46 kg Freestyle Wrestling. As of other young athletes, M.Ankhtsetseg finished her contest standing at the 4th place, Ts.Khulan at the 7th and N.Angirmaa at the 8th place.
In the 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, Mongolian Youth Team grabbed two Gold medals by G.Erdenebold (Men's Gymnastics) and B.Battsetseg (Women's Freestyle Wrestling).
FISU Steering Committee meeting begins in Ulaanbaatar
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) A regular meeting of the International University Sports Federation's (FISU) Steering Committee kicked off Tuesday in Ulaanbaatar city.
The Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism Ms Ts.Oyungerel addressed the FISU Steering Committee meeting. Ms Oyungerel expressed thanks to the FISU for organizing its Steering Committee meeting in Mongolia, and underlined that it was an expression of widening of the Mongolian external ties in sport sector. She also noted that Mongolia has an ambition to host the Summer Universiade of 2033,"it coincides with our President's appeal to host the 2040 Summer Olympic Games".
The Minister said Ulaanbaatar will host university world and Asian championships for some kinds of sports, for instance, Mongolia has got a right to organize the 2016 World University Archery Championship.
The meeting brought together Claude-Louis Gallien (France), the FISU president; O.Matytsin (Russia), the first deputy president of the FISU; S.Berg (Sweden), L.Kabral (Brazil), Zhang Xinsheng (China) and Leonz Eder (Switzerland), the FISU vice presidents; and other high-level officials.
Agendas of the Steering Committee meeting are strategy, policy and activities of university sports, outcomes of university games and championships, planning and monitoring issues, preparation for the 2015 FISU General Assembly, the FISU financial matter, resolving ongoing problems, agendas for the next Steering Committee's meeting and their orders.
The meeting will continue until Thursday.
Training to be held for journalists on combating doping
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar, August 27 (MONTSAME) A training for journalists entitled "Anti doping actions" will be held Thursday in the headquarters of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee (MonNOC).
This training is held in a scope of the "Anti doping activities in Mongolia" project implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, with a financing from the Fund for Combating Doping in Sports at the UNESCO.
It is expected the training will attract some 40 sport journalists from over 20 organizations.
IFRC: Bridging the sanitation gap in Asia Pacific
(The Mongolian Red Cross Society provides advice and materials for new latrines. Where needed, volunteers help construct them. Bat-Erdene Ulziibaatar/MRCS)
By John Sparrow, IFRC
August 26 (IFRC) In summer, Bolormaa, 5, and Ariunaa, 2, often have diarrhoea. It worries the little girls' father, Batbayar Gezegt, a hardworking man and former herder who, like hundreds of thousands of other pastoralists, has been forced from the Mongolian countryside by extreme weather cycles.
Since he lost all his animals to dzud – an extended natural disaster that begins with summer drought and a shortage of pasture and culminates in the severest of winters – he has lived with his wife and four children in an Ulaanbaatar shantytown. It is one of many deprived areas around the Mongolian capital which is now home to almost half the country's total population.
The unremitting flow of rural people has overwhelmed the urban infrastructure and poor access to clean water and decent sanitation has been reflected in a worrying increase of contagious disease over the past two decades. Batbayar's plight is a common one. His home, a ger – the traditional tent dwelling displaced herders have spread across the city's outlying hillsides – is in a compound without a latrine.
"We have urban district's where, at most, 15 per cent of the population has proper sanitation," explains Bolormaa Nordov, Secretary General of the Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS). "On top of that, only 21 per cent of our households are connected to a water supply and less than half the population has a reliable source of drinking water."
This urban sanitation challenge is the subject of an International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies workshop being held in Ulaanbaatar from 26 to 28 August. It will look at how Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies can strengthen their capacity to deliver appropriate and sustainable sanitation, and help bridge what is clearly a sanitation gap.
The background statistics are grim. Around the world, more than 2.6 billion people still live without basic sanitation. Some 1.8 billion of those are in the Asia Pacific region and in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh; more than 700 million in total still defecate in the open. Progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal of access to basic sanitation for all by 2015 is woefully off track, with communities left vulnerable to a multitude of health risks and disasters. Diarrhoea is the leading cause of illness and death around the world, the UN reports, with 88 per cent of diarrhoeal deaths due to water and sanitation shortages, and poor hygiene.
For more than a decade now, the Mongolian Red Cross, in partnership with the Netherlands Red Cross, has worked to turn Mongolia's plight around in some of its most troubled communities. Over the past three years alone, 60,000 people have benefited from new Red Cross water sources and the provision of latrines, and the MRCS has installed or improved indoor sanitation in schools and kindergartens. Importantly, it has trained children and parents in good hygiene practise, an issue that has been introduced into school curricula.
Things are also about to change for Batbayar Gezegt. He has started work on digging a pit for a ventilated latrine. The Red Cross is providing the design and materials.
It is a wise investment. Apart from anything else, preventing disease through improved sanitation saves on curative and developmental losses. According to a recent World Health Organization study, every dollar spent generates an average economic benefit of $7.
Local 'Denan Project' Members Visit Hospital Project in Mongolia
ROXBURY, August 27 (Litchfield County Times) – Three Litchfield County representatives from the Woodbury-based charity The Denan Project recently returned from Mongolia, where they met with staff and patients of a new hospital to which the charity provides critical support.
Dick Young, founder and president of the project and long-term Roxbury resident, made the trip with Washington residents Jeffrey Barist and Richard Wool as well as other TDP volunteers.
The hospital is in Tariat, an isolated village approximately 400 miles from Ulan Bator, the country's capital. The new hospital replaced a dilapidated 1960's Soviet-built facility. The journey, made by four-wheel drive trucks, across dirt roads and rutted tracks, took 17 hours of hard driving, following a nearly 24-hour long trip by plane.
The Denan Project, established by Young in 2004, provides health care, education and other critical assistance to highly disadvantaged people living in poor, remote areas of Mongolia, Ethiopia, Peru and Burkina Faso, giving medical services free-of-charge to more than 50,000 people treated annually.
The charity has been critical in moving the Mongolian government to recognize the need for a new hospital and allocate the necessary resources. Working with its partner, Save The Children Japan-Mongolia, the Denan Project has provided funds necessary to purchase essential medicines, provide heat in winter (when temperatures can reach 40 degrees below) and materials for public-health initiatives.
Educational materials have been written in Mongolian and distributed by local medical personnel to people without the most rudimentary knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking, alcohol-consumption and a diet consisting of mainly fatty meat and dairy products.
"It was extremely gratifying to see the fruits of The Denan Project's efforts in Mongolia," said Young. "TDP was founded 10 years ago to help bring isolated, rural communities access to free medical care, as well as to provide education, agriculture, water resource development, food security, and microcredit loans. The importance of medical facilities and services like these can't be overstated."
The immediate Tariat area has a population of approximately 3,000, but the hospital serves more than 30,000 people annually, most of them coming from outlying areas.
Through the support of The Denan Project, health problems have been greatly reduced. In fact, at a meeting with Gandiimaa Riimaasdi, the director of the Provincial Department of Health and Hospitals, TDP volunteers learned that infant and child mortality rates have decreased by 150 percent since TDP involvement began in 2010.
"What I saw was a real partnership, where western philanthropy was being well used by dedicated indigenous practitioners," Barist said.
Richard Wool added, "What impressed me most was the incredible accomplishment of the The Denan Project in helping to bring quality health care and dietary information to a region where it never existed."
"I am extremely proud to point out that 97 percent of TDP's funds to go directly to its projects," Young said. "Our all-volunteer organization has no overhead costs and minimal expenses, and TDP's supporters pay their own way to make visits to our charity's various projects around the world. Only through our supporters' generous contributions can we make such a real and impactful change, even on the other side of the globe."
Young said that as proud as he is of the group's accomplishments over the past 10 years, much work is still needed.
" Although the new hospital is a great improvement over the previous one, it still lacks central plumbing as well as important medical equipment such as an autoclave to sterilize vital surgical instruments," he said. "Anyone interested in donating or becoming a volunteer in our organization would be most welcome to speak to me or my fellow travelers about our charity's work and the meaningful change it is bringing to some of the world's most impoverished and isolated communities."
Young encouraged readers to visit www.thedenanproject.org or to contact him at dick@dickyoungproductions.com for more information.
The Denan Project is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization based in Woodbury with the mission of providing health care, education and other critical assistance to highly disadvantaged people living in poor, remote areas of Ethiopia, Peru, Burkina Faso, and Mongolia.
Oakham School pupils scale Mongolian summit
August 26 (Rutland Times, UK) Pupils from Oakham School have successfully climbed Mongolia's highest mountain during a summer holiday trip of a lifetime.
Twenty pupils travelled to Mongolia and China for the month-long expedition, which gave students the chance to immerse themselves fully in the culture and landscape of these fascinating countries.
The pupils started their adventure in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, during the country's biggest festival, Naadam, which consists of three tournaments: Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. As well as watching the games, the group were also able to see the spectacular opening ceremony which involved wrestlers, dancers, cavalry and flying eagles.
After being interviewed by a local Mongolian TV crew, pupils then made an attempt to climb Mongolia's highest peak, Mount Khüiten (4374 metres), in the remote Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, which straddles the China, Russia and Mongolia borders. It took the pupils three days to drive on rough dirt track roads to the inaccessible National Park to begin their challenge. Carrying all their own equipment (tents, stoves, food and climbing kit), the group then trekked from base camp to high camp situated at 3,300m.
The team split into two groups, but unfortunately the second group missed their chance to climb the summit due to severe weather forcing them to abandon their attempt. This was after enduring eight hours of terrible weather conditions at high camp. The majority of the first group were successful in reaching the summit, despite the weather trying to cut the attempt short. The round trip took seven hours in total, but eight pupils, as well as their team leader, eventually made it!
Steve Gorman, Outdoor Activities Coordinator at Oakham, who had arranged the trip and led the group to the summit, said: "This was a very challenging peak which all should be proud of achieving. The East Ridge is quite technical with much of the climbing on steep snow and ice, involving crampons, ice axes, ice screws and ropes, and the crossing of several deep crevasses."
Gregory Sale, from Seaton, said: "Starting the day under the most incredible night sky, all the way through to surveying the mountain ranges of four countries at the summit, made the climb one of the most rewarding things I've ever done".
As well as scaling mountains, the pupils took part in an amazing wilderness experience, where they had the chance to trek, ride horses, try their hand at herding, and go canoeing and mountain biking. At this point during the trip, the group were joined by children - who took part in all of these experiences alongside them. These 12 children were specially selected to join the party as a reward for their hard work and academic achievements. The pupils from Oakham learnt about their lives and culture and also visited a local school to help teach a variety of subjects.
They were able to learn even more about Mongolian culture when they spent a night in a traditional Mongolian ger (a large round dwelling) with some Kazakh families, where they got to experience their lives first hand.
During their month-long expedition, the pupils also got the opportunity to take the Trans Siberian Express to Beijing where they spent a day trekking along the Great Wall of China.
Mohanik to Stage at "V Rox" International Music Festival in Russia
August 27 (infomongolia.com) The second international music festival "V ROX" is going to be held in Russia, where more than 200 musicians, music industry professionals, translators, writers and journalists from China, France, Georgia, Germany, Japan, Mongolia, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States and host Russia are to gather in Vladivostok on August 29-31, 2014.
Upon invitation six bands are to stage their 30-minute concerts including Skindred (UK), Queen Sea Big Shark (China), Galaxy Express (South Korea), Buffalo Daughter (Japan), Mohanik (Mongolia) and Mumiy Troll (Russia).
Moreover, musicians from Georgia (Asea Sool), Japan (Broken Haze and Mothercoat), China (Candyshop, Cold Fairyland and Mr. Sea Turtle), South Korea (Dead Buttons, Hellivision, Idiotape and OOpsNice), USA (Flash Bastard and Mykki Blanco), UK (The Ghosts and These Reigning Days), UK-Germany (Jim Kroft), South Africa (Shadowclub) and over 20 musicians from Russia's Yekaterinburg, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok cities are to participate.
Mongolia's Mohanik will perform their concert at 08:00 pm on August 29 at Main Stage and another 30-minute performance on the following day at 11:00 pm in a Club in Vladivostok.
Mohanik Members
Tsaschikher DAVAAJARGAL - Vocals/Guitar
Sambalkhundev TSOGT - Vocals/Lead Guitar
Otgonbaatar ENERELT - Bass
Ganbaatar BATBAYAR – Drums
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