Nepal-Mongolia Relations
Bagabandi Visit To Set Vision

By Nischal Nath Pandey

THE President of Mongolia Natsagiin Bagabandi and the first lady Azadsurengiin Oyunbileg arrived Friday at the invitation of Their Majesties the King and Queen. This is the first highest-level visit from Mongolia while Late King Mahendra and former Prime Minister Late Man Mohan Adhikari from Nepal visited Mongolia.

Known as one of the World’s oldest countries. Mongolia reached the pinnacle of its power in the 13th century when Genghis Khan and his successors conquered and extended their influence as far as Hungary and Poland. In later centuries, the empire became a province of China and even after its independence in 1911, the country remained detached from the rest of the world. One of the principal and interesting characteristics of this landlocked and high plateau mountainous country is its relatively scant population in comparison to its large geographical area covering salt lakes, vast grasslands and deserts. Only after a new Constitution was introduced in 1992, the victory of a democratic alliance in the legislative elections in 1996 and the success of the current President in the presidential elections in May 1997, did this long nation actually started to resurrect and reenergize itself. Today, Mongolia has chosen the path of democracy and economic reform desiring to develop according to modern standards. The literacy rate has reached 83 per cent and one telephone line to 30 persons, which is regarded as extraordinary among the developing countries. At this backdrop, it is worthwhile to pull together the outstanding achievements that Mongolia has achieved during the tenure of the present President. In fact, he is one of the most widely and frequently travelling head of state from among the countries of the developing world. A glance at the President’s itinerary of 1999 will ascertain facts and acquaint us of the vigor with which a landlocked, poverty-stricken mountainous nation has strived to make a mark in the international arena. President Natsagiin Bagabandi who is an engineer-technologist by profession visited Almaty (Kazakhastan), Kuwait, Ankara, Tokyo Beijing, Hong Kong, Bishkek (Kyrguzstan). The Hague, Warsaw and Moscow during that same year. He has maintained continuity in foreign policy and "efforts have been made to divert the state and government policy towards ensuring through diplomatic means the independence, security and vital interests of Mongolia. and creating favourable external conditions for the advancement of the economic and social development."

Both Nepal and Mongolia being landlocked, mountainous and developing countries, there are several areas where our interests meet and focus should be to chalk out such fields where collaborative ventures can take place. According to analysts, tourism, trade of agro-based products and other commercial inter exchanges can be the best way to set the relations into the right tone so as to frame it to the environment of the 21st century.

According to Joint Secretary and Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gyan Chandra Acharya both Nepal and Mongolia that have many similarities will have an occasion to interact and discuss areas of mutual interest during the President’s sojourn. "Mongolia is a wool producing country and since Nepal’s carpet industry is a growing industry, we will be focussing on this aspect as well", he stated while talking briefly with this scribe.

The President accompanied by the First Lady will be visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, which is a revered pilgrimage for Buddhists. In fact, our ailing tourism industry would get an added boost if we were to sell Nepal as a pilgrimage destination and encourage more and more Buddhist tourists to visit Nepal not only from Japan but likewise from China, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, the Koreas and elsewhere. The President will at the same time be visiting the Royal Nepal Army’s Peacekeeping Training Camp at Panchkhal in Kavrepalanchowk district. This shows his deep desire for the maintenance of peace around the world’s trouble spots. It is rewarding to recall at this point that while addressing the offices and staffs of the intelligence services of his country some time back, President Bagabandi stated, "there is growing tendency of the intensification of terrorism on an international scale. It is natural that the increase in the damage and loss of human lives owing to such an adventuristic action, 23, per cent of the international terrorist activities in 1998 took place in our neighbouring countries and in our region."

Nepal’s foreign policy and its conduct of international relations must be adhered to the furthering of the country’s national interests. It is this particular constituent that is not only most crucial but also must be clearly defined and articulated. Nepal should expand and develop relations with nations of the world community and especially those that are in South Asia’s vicinity particularly Central Asia. It is hoped that the President’s visit will be a beginning of many such visits, interactions and mutually fruitful understandings between Nepal and Mongolia that are faced with similar challenges and prospects in the 21st century.

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