Cold Spell In Russo-Mongolian Contacts Over, Says Russian Foreign Minister As He Gets Mongolian Award

Luvsangiyn Erdenechuluun, Mongolia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave the Order of North Star, one of his country's supreme awards, to Igor Ivanov, his Russian counterpart on the Mongolian president's behalf for honourable contribution to bilateral relations and partnership. There was a cool spell in Russian-Mongolian relations in the early 1990s. It is over now, and there is dynamic progress in all fields of contacts, said Mr. Ivanov to highlight hopeful economic partnership prospects, especially involving the Russian Far East. Many issues, however, remain to be settled. The two countries share political goodwill to do that in mutual interests, and this goodwill matters most. The Foreign Ministers debated international terrorism and other transnational dangers and challenges with an emphasis on Afghanistan and the Asian and Pacific area, where both countries are eager to be active. The conferees spoke up for closer Russian-Mongolian partnership to promote Asian and Pacific security.