Biden meets PM Batbold, praises Mongolia as a "shining example"

During his brief visit to Ulaanbaatar on August 22, US Vice President Joe Biden praised Mongolia 's "remarkable" transition to democracy in the past 20 years and called Mongolia a "shining example for other nations in transition." Biden described Mongolia as "an emerging leader in the worldwide democratic movement, a responsible actor on the world stage and a close friend and partner of the United States ." Biden said he hoped Prime Minister S. Batbold and the Mongolian people consider his visit and President Obama's meeting in Washington in June with President Ts. Elbegdorj as "signs of how impressed we are at the progress you have already made. Those reciprocal visits show how important the relationship is to the US."

Biden emphasized the need "enhance economic ties," including completing work on a bilateral transparency agreement that "would make Mongolia an even more attractive destination for American foreign investment." Biden expressed US appreciation of  Mongolian contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Batbold told Biden, "Your visit is the expression of the fact that U.S. recognizes Mongolia 's irreversible choice to develop democracy and the will of the Mongolian people to uphold legal forces to uphold democracy," Batbold also said, "We are grateful to the United States for continued support and economic assistance." He said his meeting with Biden was "very productive." Biden also met with President Elbegdorj, watched traditional Mongolian wrestling, tried his hand at archery and was presented with a horse, whom he named “Celtic.”

Click here for full text of official White House statement on Batbold-Biden meeting

Biden meets wrestlers