The following statement was jointly released by the United States and Mongolia on the occasion of the successful conclusion of the First United States-Mongolia Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C.:
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs Battsetseg Batmunkh to Washington, D.C. on July 23 to participate in the inaugural United States-Mongolia Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue. The two countries discussed concrete steps to advance bilateral relations and build upon our Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership based on shared democratic values and respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, good governance, and human rights.
Our joint belief in strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and respect for human rights is the foundation of the U.S.-Mongolia relationship. The two countries also remain committed to bolstering and empowering civil society organizations, which play an important role in our democracies.
The United States and Mongolia both reiterated the importance of upholding international law, including the United Nations Charter and the principles of sovereign equality, respect for the political independence and territorial integrity of states, and prohibition of the threat or use of force.
The United States also applauds Mongolia's decades-long support to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Economic Cooperation and Resiliency
The United States and Mongolia are continuing to pursue cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including clean energy, critical minerals, food security, and the digital economy.
Furthering economic resiliency and security is a shared priority for both the United States and Mongolia. Building upon our recent progress and achievements in aviation cooperation, such as the signing of the Open Skies Agreement in 2023, our joint endeavor to launch nonstop passenger flights between our two countries in the near future is crucial for landlocked Mongolia. Increased connectivity between the United States and Mongolia will undoubtedly give an additional impetus for an enhanced trade and enriched economic cooperation, as well as further deepen our substantive people-to-people bonds.
People-to-People Ties
People-to-people ties are a critical element of our bilateral relationship. The United States and Mongolia applaud the partnerships between universities in both countries, which will only deepen cross-border educational opportunities.
The United States and Mongolia also remain committed to pursuing programs that promote gender equality and women's empowerment, establish strategic partnerships between universities, and build leadership capabilities through professional education initiatives for future public policy leaders. Both sides expressed willingness to work together to create training opportunities for Mongolian English language teachers. Both sides also expressed strong interest in working toward a Cultural Property Agreement, which would help to prevent illegal trafficking of cultural property from Mongolia and enhance cooperation on the protection and lawful exchange of cultural property.
