MP’s Ya.Sodbaatar, S.Ganbaatar, and J.Erdenebat held a press conference on October 16th to criticize the uranium exploration that is included in the draft of the 2013 budget.

MP Ya.Sodbaatar said “exploring and using radioactive natural resources is included in the draft of the 2013 budget created by the Government and the Prime Minister, but, we opposed the uranium exploration. Uranium exploration violates the related laws and regulations of Mongolia.

Khairkhan, Kharaat uranium reserves belong to the company, Gurvansaikhan, and the Gurvanbulag deposit is owned by a Chinese central power distributor company.  Those two reserves are located in the Dundgovi, Dornogovi and Govisumber provinces but two of these desert areas have under water main basins.  The area has a particularly weak ecosystem and uranium mining can cause great damage to the nature and environment. Further, it has the potential to cause desertification in the Gobi area.

Finally, MP S.Ganbaatar said that is just like the OyuTolgoi Investment Agreement where scientist’s opinions and public voice is being ignored.  It is like Déjà vu.  The final decision should be made by all and Mongolia’s development and economic growth should be for Mongolians, not for China’s big economy.