The Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy approved
on Tuesday a proposal to establish consulates in San Francisco, USA, Osaka, Japan
and Hong Kong, China, and authorized O.Chuluunbat to submit the proposal in
Parliament. Earlier the MP had asked Foreign Minister G.Zandanshatar how much
money would be needed to maintain the three consulates and if the Government
had considered closing down Representative Offices in places which received few
Mongolians.

Zandanshatar said MNT415 million will be needed for San Francisco, MNT483
million for Osaka, and MNT363 million for Hong Kong, but everywhere, some 40%
of the expenses could be met from the consular revenue. He explained that the
Representative Offices in Laos and Bulgaria served Parliamentary and Government
interests even though there were not many Mongolian travelers to either. In any
case the income at both met their expenses, and so there is no need to close
them down.