Over the course of the visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh met students who are studying in this country with the “President’s Scholar-2100” scholarship in London.

The “President’s Scholar–2100" scholarship program has been successfully implemented since 2021, awarding the best students from each of the 330 soums and the capital city to study at the world’s best universities. The scholarship qualifies students based on their academic achievements, engages them in the preparatory program to help them meet the qualifications of the world's best universities, and provides financial assistance during their studies abroad.

According to the regulation on Presidential Scholarship adopted by the Government, the students who have completed at least three years of study in their school's catchment area and have the highest average score in the General Entrance Examination in mathematics and foreign languages are eligible to participate in the “President’s Scholar–2100."

There are in total of 29 Mongolian students studying in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland under this scholarship, of which 15 students are studying at the University of Bristol, one of the Top 100 universities in the world.

Expressing his satisfaction with the successful implementation of the “President’s Scholar-2100” scholarship program, allowing youths to study at prestigious universities in foreign countries, the President reminded students to exert themselves in studying and hold high the name of Mongolia, always keeping in mind that they are representing their country.

During the meeting, students said they were happy to be awarded the "President's Scholar-2100" scholarship and shared their impressions and experiences on studying at the world’s top university. Besides the academic studies, students highlighted their personal developments and expressed that they would make use of the knowledge and experience gained while studying abroad to help in the development of Mongolia.

At the end of his speech, the President wished the students academic success and expressed his confidence that they would graduate as future leaders who will make a valuable contribution to the development of Mongolia, and become a bridge for relations and cooperation between the citizens of the two countries. Moreover, the President reaffirmed the special attention of the government to youths and their education and development.

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to his "Pa" King Charles the day after the Coronation, saying the late Queen Elizabeth II would be "a proud mother".

Addressing the crowds at Windsor Castle for the Coronation concert, William said his grandmother was "up there, fondly keeping an eye on us".

He said this weekend was "so important" because it was all about service.

Highlighting King Charles' achievements over the last 50 years, William said: "Pa, we are all so proud of you."

And the heir to the throne made his own vow to the nation, saying: "I commit to serve you all. King, country and Commonwealth."

King Charles and Queen Camilla - colour-coordinated in blue, with the Queen in a royal blue jumpsuit - smiled and waved their own flags during the evening.

The Princess of Wales attended with her and William's oldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Prince Louis, who has just turned five, stayed at home after his busy day at the Coronation on Saturday.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were seated near the King and Queen, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak behind them. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his ex-wife the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, also attended, as did Zara Tindall and her husband Mike.

The crowd of 20,000 people got their tickets in a public ballot, with many more watching performances from stars including Katy Perry and Take That on BBC One and BBC Radio 2.

Host Hugh Bonneville - the Paddington and Downton Abbey actor - addressed the royal guests as the show began and acknowledged the King's love of the arts, joking he was "the artist formerly known as prince".

The concert featured musical acts including maestro Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel collaborating on You'll Never Walk Alone, and Olly Murs, who sang Dance with Me Tonight, while there were also spoken word pieces amidst the music.

Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt performed work by poet Daljit Nagra, while fashion designer Stella McCartney spoke about conservation.

There were video cameos from a range of stars, including British acting legend Joan Collins, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, artist Tracey Emin and Welsh singer Tom Jones - all of them recounting little-known facts about the monarch.

And Top Gun actor Tom Cruise delivered a video message from his War Bird plane, saying: "Pilot to pilot. Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time," before saluting and banking off.

The King seemed to enjoy a skit involving Bonneville and Muppet Show stars Kermit and Miss Piggy, in which Miss Piggy said "King Charlesy Warlesy" was expecting them in the royal box.

At the end of the show, Kermit was seen to have made it to the box, waving a flag in front of Prince Edward but there was no sign of Miss Piggy.

The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Ballet, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and the Royal Opera also took part in the show.

The royal patronages came together for the first time, with a one-off performance from Romeo and Juliet featuring actor Ncuti Gatwa - the new star of Doctor Who - and Olivier Award nominee Mei Mac.

Members of the Royal Family were seen dancing and singing along to Lionel Richie's All Night Long - with even the King getting to his feet, as did the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie, and Zara and Mike Tindall.

William's speech on stage came immediately after Richie's performance - with the prince referring to the US singer-songwriter's hit, saying: "I won't go on all night long", which drew a laugh from his father.

In his speech, William thanked everyone for making it "such a special evening" before turning to the significance of the weekend.

"As my grandmother said when she was crowned, coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future," he said. "And I know she's up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother.

"For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message. Service."

He said that after entering Westminster Abbey for Saturday's service, the first words spoken by his father were his pledge to continue to serve.

The prince praised the King for warning about damage to the environment "long before it was an everyday issue", and for his work with the Prince's Trust, the charity Charles set up which supports young people.

"Perhaps most importantly of all, my father has always understood that people of all faiths, all backgrounds, and all communities, deserve to be celebrated and supported," he said.

"Pa, we are all so proud of you."

The prince gave his thanks to those who serve "in the forces, in classrooms, hospital wards and local communities" before offering his own vow of service.

He finished by saying "God save the King", which was repeated loudly by the crowd before the national anthem was sung.

It was a tender and heartfelt message from William. There was an element of taking on the baton here too.

At last year's Platinum Jubilee concert it was Charles who as Prince of Wales gave thanks to his mother. Now it was William as Prince of Wales who gave the vote of thanks, stepping into the role of heir.

The stage, in Windsor Castle, resembled the union jack with catwalks jutting out from the centre creating multiple levels for the 70-piece orchestra and band.

Singer Paloma Faith sang as landmarks around the UK were lit up in celebration - including Blackpool Tower, Edinburgh Castle and Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

And there was the first multi-location drone show to be staged in the UK, with 1,000 drones in formation: a Welsh dragon, spanning 140m, was seen in Cardiff, while a watering can was seen over the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Take That closed the show with Never Forget - with the choristers of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, singing the song's introduction.

Mongolia is the second Asian country that will produce Bulgarian yoghurt with the bacterium Lactobacillus bulgaricus. An agreement on the use of the license was signed between the Bulgarian State-owned dairy producer LB Bulgaricum and one of the largest Mongolian food production companies – APU Company.

The initiative to enter the Asian market was taken by Caretaker Economy Minister Nikola Stoyanov and is being done with the active support of the Ambassador of Mongolia to Bulgaria S.Lkhagvarusen. The two were also present at the official signing of the document.

“Talks on this cooperation started in December of last year and in just four months we have managed to reach the signing of today’s agreement. It will allow authentic Bulgarian yoghurt to be sold in Mongolia,” said Minister Nikola Stoyanov. The Minister of Economy and the Mongolian Ambassador stressed that this is a step in the direction of strengthening bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

“Bulgaria is the homeland of yoghurt and we will use the national traditional technology for the production of dairy products in Mongolia,” the APU Company management said. On their part, it was emphasized that the agreement will allow them to fulfill one of the goals set by the Mongolian state to produce healthy and useful food. They have already visited the facility of LB Bulgaricum in Vidin (on the Danube) to get acquainted with the production process in the Bulgarian company. There is also interest in joint projects in research and development and the creation of joint products tailored to the Mongolian market.

The agreement has a term of five years. The Mongolian APU Company receives a license to develop, produce, sell and distribute dairy products with original Bulgarian starters for the territory of Mongolia, for which it will also pay licensing fees to LB Bulgaricum.

Management teams of the Mongolian Stock Exchange, a State-Owned Company and the Budapest Stock Exchange of Hungary held an online meeting and signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on May 3.

The MoC coverage is focused on the areas of:

Developing debt instruments, and equity and investment fund products;

Improving company governance;

Developing joint products and platforms.

On March 13, Mongolia announced to have built the world's fourth largest mine. This mega project, started on a solitary steppe, has expanded into a site employing 20 thousand people. A decade ago, there were speculations whether it was right or wrong, profitable or unprofitable to mine the wealth beneath the southern Gobi soil, now we can conclude that this debate has been irreversibly resolved. In fact, implementation of any mega project is a very scrupulous endeavor. Opening of the underground mine has clearly demonstrated that the Mongolians in cooperation with specialists of 44 countries around the world succeeded to implement this mega project within a short period of time

MONGOLIAN YOUTH AND WORLD KNOWHOW

The Mongolians, constituting 97 percent of the total 20 thousand workforce, have managed to get used to instructions and knowhow of foreign specialists within a very short time. The ability to compete with the mines of the world and show off the intelligence and skills of Mongolian people is the biggest benefit from this project. In the "Rio Tinto" group operating in 35 countries around the world, 100 young Mongolians are working at the level of management, engineering and technology on a par with world experts. These young people are the assets that will carry the mega projects in the future. In addition, thousands of young Mongolians are in[1]volved in the day-to-day operations of the "Oyutolgoi" project.

The size and scale of the facilities they built are enormous. In a steppe without any infrastructure, they have built a mining complex with the latest technology of the world, thus gaining required experience. They used 62,000 tons of concrete and 23,000 tons of steel to build the concentrator plant alone, three times more than what was used for construction of the Eiffel Tower.

During the construction phase, six million cubic meters of earth was transported for mining operations, and 550 km long cable, enough to reach Ulaanbaatar, was used. Calculations implied that the amount of cement used for the construction of the concentration plant was sufficient for erecting 346 nine-story buildings with four entrances. These numbers suggest how much hard work was involved. It is a matter of pride that this construction was made possible thanks to strength and intelligence of Mongolians. They also built an underground town 1,300 meters below the earth surface, including underground mine, rescue facilities, and shelters.

to be continued......

The video format of featured articles in the new issue of “Mongolia Today” can be accessed by scanning the QR codes.

For this: https://youtu.be/9n943CnJBOs

Dive deeper into the Oyutolgoi project by picking up the latest issue of the “Mongolia Today” magazine.

Britain's ruling Conservative Party has suffered a steep loss of seats in local elections, adding to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership woes.

Voters went to the polls across England on Thursday to choose representatives in 230 local councils. More than 8,000 seats were up for grabs.

Vote counting was almost over on Friday. Public broadcaster BBC says the Tories lost more than 1,000 seats.

The BBC says the party took a majority in 33 councils, down from 81 before the polls.

The opposition Labour Party gained control of 71 councils after increasing its number of seats by more than 500.

The Liberal Democrats, the second largest opposition party, added more than 400 seats.

The latest polls were seen as a bellwether for Britain's next general election, which must be held by January 2025, and as an electoral test for Sunak.

The Conservatives' setback suggests voters were frustrated with the increasing cost of living as the country continues to suffer steep inflation.

The issue of recalling and appointing ambassadors was discussed during today's session of the State Great Khural.

The majority of the State Great Khural members supported to appoint Seseriin Zoljargal as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Republic of Cuba, Banzraganchiin Bayarsaikhan as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan, Batnyamiin Enkhbat as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea, and Erdenetsogtiin Sarantogos as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Canada.

Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to Canada, Japan, and Cuba Ya. Ariunbold, D. Batjargal, and Sh. Battsetseg respectively will be recalled as their terms of appointment have essentially expired.

Additionally, it was decided to recall Otgonii Dambinyam, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. In accordance with Parliament Resolution No. 43 of 2013, Mongolia resolved to restore the embassy's operation in Kabul, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, but the embassy has yet to open. Despite this, Otgonii Dambiinyam was appointed as the Ambassador to Afghanistan with residence in Iran in 2014, and the legal issue of his withdrawal has not been resolved to date.

During the session of the State Great Khural, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, B. Battsetseg stated, "These officials have a track record of serving in the government, diplomatic service, and private sector for many years. They possess high professional skills, management experience, and foreign language proficiency, and have met the legal requirements for the appointment. A contract has been signed for their appointment since last year, and a report on its implementation will be submitted to the Parliament after half a year and a full year. We are primarily assigning them tasks related to the economy, tourism, and public affairs."

President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and First Lady Luvsandorjiin Bolortsetseg have attended the coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland today in London.

More than 2,000 representatives of foreign governments attended the coronation ceremony of His Royal Majesty.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Britain. Mongolia has friendly relations and cooperation with Britain, which is the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with Mongolia and has supported the democratic reform process from the very beginning.

We have seen that the special operation of the Russian military in Ukraine (actually, the "Russian-Ukrainian war") shocked Mongolians, dividing and quarreling them for a whole year.

The standpoint of the Mongolian State is clear. The recent State visit of the President of Poland and the visit of the US Under Secretary of State have confidently demonstrated that Mongolia has been maintaining a multi-pillar, peace-loving, and active foreign policy.

President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh stated, "May this beautiful BROTHERLY friendship between Mongolia and Poland flourish for generations!"

It is the Mongolian State’s assessment of the representative of the brotherly Polish people and the definition of the significance of the visit in one phrase. Do you agree?

“Poland is one of the third neighbors and close partners of our country, and the relations and cooperation between the two countries have been continuously developing even during difficult times. We are happy that Poland has decided to restore its Embassy in Mongolia and is officially opening it during the State visit,” said the President. Reopening the Embassy is the most trusted step in political relations and the beginning of a comprehensive partnership. Perhaps Poland will become our next partner to expand the list of countries with existing strategic partnerships (six countries) for our country.

President U. Khurelsukh said, “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Poland in 1950, our two countries have maintained traditional historical relations in all sectors. As part of its economic recovery policy, Mongolia is working to increase the participation of the third neighbor besides its two neighbors to diversify the economy and create a multi-pillar and sustainable structure.”

Our country is not going to turn its back on its two traditional neighbors as part of its economic recovery policy. However, it does not mean that it will always be dependent. In addition to those two, it is a matter of sovereignty for independent Mongolia to increase the participation of the "Third Neighbor" to diversify its economy and create a multi-pillar, appropriate structure. The Head of State openly stated that.

The President made a statement that gives answers to many problems that are troubling us right now. “We will clarify our investment policy, adhering to the principle of being a reliable, trustworthy, and long-term partner,” he said. “Comprehensive reform is being carried out to improve investment and business environment and protect the interests of investors.” He invited the entrepreneurs of the Republic of Poland to invest, do business in Mongolia, and cooperate for mutual benefits.

It is appealing that the President affirmed Mongolia’s readiness to cooperate in a strategically important area. " Our two countries have been cooperating in the mining industry for a long time. In 1962-1965, a 190-person geological team from Poland successfully conducted exploration and research work in the western region, and both sides cooperated. It should be noted that this cooperation expanded to an exploration of rare earth elements. There is a possibility to cooperate in the field of geology and mining in the future," the President stressed. Indeed, if Poland, as a new partner, enters to the mining sector, specifically in the fields of copper, gold, precious metals, and energy sector, we will be happy and welcome it. That would be a strategic breakthrough.

The speech of the Polish Head of State is an important political statement that touched the heart. "During the meeting, we discussed how to jointly overcome the challenges caused by the pandemic, the complicated international relations, and geopolitical situation, and expand and develop the relations and cooperation," an official press release says. I am going to highlight "overcoming the challenges caused by the complex geopolitical situation with joint efforts" in the policy of the third neighborhood.

It is clear what issues were called this way. The President of Poland has clarified himself. President Andrzej Duda thanked Mongolia for recognizing the Republic of Poland as the "Third Neighbor" that cherishes democratic values. He also emphasized that he understands Mongolia's geopolitical policy well and highly appreciates Mongolia for providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

President of Mongolia U. Khurelsukh had a telephone conversation with President of Ukraine V. Zelensky. The Ambassador of Ukraine was welcomed with respect and his Letter of Credence was received. I posted on FB, "National anthem of Ukraine was performed and the national flag of Ukraine was raised in Sukhbaatar Square. For the first time since 2010, the Ambassador arrived and presented the Letter of Credence to President U. Khurelsukh. The Mongolian State does not regard Ukraine as a Nazi-fascist country and receives its Ambassador, valuing its friendly diplomatic relations. This is the truth! Mongolia is a country that cherishes peace! It is an undeniable fact that the Multilateral Cooperation Partnership was established with Ukraine in 2011!”

Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene, when receiving the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador Viktoria Nuland, emphasized that the Government of Mongolia attaches high significance to its relations with its important third neighbor- the USA, and expressed its interest in further strengthening strategic partnership, grounded on common democratic values, and expand and develop mutually beneficial cooperation, especially in increasing bilateral trade and investment and in the fields of creative culture productions, and e-transition.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the United States V. Nuland expressed the same standpoint. "The United States is proud to be an important third neighbor of Mongolia, and attaches importance to strengthening partnership relations based on common democratic values that respect human rights and freedom, expanding and strengthening cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, investment, and fighting corruption," said in an official statement.

In the end, let me write a few words. Our country considers all the countries that were previously cursed as imperialists to be our "third neighbors."

Mongolia will always pursue a multi-pillar foreign policy that values world peace. We do not mean single-pillar!

The 6th President of Mongolia U. Khurelsukh took office and started his first overseas state visit in Russia (2021), and visited neighboring China and Japan. He paid particular attention to his multilateral diplomatic policy, and, to that extent, his reputation grew on the international stage. The President took part in the 76th and 77th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, annual high-level meetings of world leaders on climate change (Glasgow, Sharm El-Sheikh), XXII Meeting of the Council of Heads of States of the SCO (Samarkand, Uzbekistan), during which the regular meeting of the three Heads of State of Mongolia-Russia-China was held. UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Mongolia for the first time at the invitation of the President of Mongolia.

There were quite a number of reciprocal visits at the level of the Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many of them are with our third neighbors. Everyone will see the results. Our foreign policy has consistently proved that there are no useless or needless visits.

BY

Bayarkhuu Dashdorj,

Foreign Policy Analyst, Rtd Ambassador