Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergey Shoigu is making an official visit to Mongolia today (18 October) at the invitation of his Mongolian counterpart N.Enkhbold. He was welcomed by Mongolian Deputy Defense Minister T.Dulamdorl, Chief of staff D.Davaa at Chinggis Khaan airport at 8.15 a.m. Sergey Shoigu is stopping over in Mongolia for a day before flying on to China. He is being accompanied by five Russian generals, 14 delegates and 12 media representatives.

In Ulaanbaatar, Minister Shoigu will meet M.Enkhbold, Speaker of Parliament and U.Khurelsukh, Prime Minister of Mongolia. The two sides discussed a defence and military cooperation, agreement between Mongolia and the Russian defence sectors as well as signing a long-term programme for developing military cooperation.

The 62 year-old Russian minister has very close links with Mongolia; he was born in neighbouring Tuva, which shares much in common with Mongolia. Sergey Shoigu is Russia’s longest serving minister: from 1991-2012 he was in charge of the country’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, during which time he developed strong contacts with Mongolia’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).