Prime Minister Julia Gillard officially welcomed her visiting Mongolian counterpart, Sukhbaatar Batbold, at a ceremony in Parliament House in Canberra yesterday. “This first visit by a Mongolian prime minister to our Commonwealth is a remarkable day in the history of Australian diplomacy,” Ms Gillard said. “Mongolia does have a relatively young democracy for about 20 years but we are very proud that we have achieved a lot,” Batbold said in reply.

After the ceremony, the two Premiers held wide ranging talks that culminated in the signing of four bilateral agreements in areas of education, training, cabinet processes and scientific transfer. Mongolia urgently needs infrastructure development, education and skills training for its workers, along with agricultural aid and technological transfer, particularly in mining.

Later, Ms Gillard hosted a banquet for Batbold and his wife Kh.Otgontuya.

Prime Minister Batbold also held talks with the Australian Foreign Minister and with the Speaker of Parliament. Among the subjects discussed were easing visa procedures for Mongolians and opening of an Australian Trade Office in Ulaanbaatar.

The Premier and his team have left Canberra for Melbourne.