"The parties are ready to start construction of the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline"
Russia is ready to increase exports of gasoline and diesel fuel to Mongolia in case of relevant requests. This was stated by the Russian Ambassador in Ulaanbaatar Alexey Evsikov. In addition, the realization of the project of the gas pipeline "Soyuz Vostok" through Mongolia to China is progressing well. According to the diplomat, the parties are ready to start construction work as soon as final contractual arrangements between the Russian supplier and the Chinese buyer are formalized. The Russian Federation can also help Mongolian power engineers assess natural gas needs and draw up a plan for the country's gasification. On how the cooperation between the two countries is progressing economically and militarily, the potential visit of the Mongolian leader to Moscow and the popularity of the Russian language in the country - in an exclusive interview with Alexey Evsikov to Izvestia.
"The Russian side is always ready to increase gasoline and diesel exports"
- Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia on September 3. Is a return official visit of the country's President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to the Russian Federation expected?
- During talks with Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh in Ulaanbaatar, Vladimir Putin invited the Mongolian head of state to attend the celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War next May in Moscow. Given the attention paid by the leadership of friendly Mongolia to the preservation of historical memory and the significant contribution of the Mongolian people to the victory over German fascism, we expect that the President will certainly accept the invitation.
Президент РФ Владимир Путин и президент Монголии Ухнаагийн Хурэлсух во время встречи в Улан-Баторе. 3 сентября 2024 года
- One of the topics during the talks was cooperation between the two countries in the gas sector. It is known that the completion of the construction of the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline through Mongolia to China remains an important task. How is the realization of this initiative progressing?
- Vladimir Putin noted in his conversation with his Mongolian vis-a-vis that cooperation with Mongolia in the gas sector is not limited to the implementation of the project to build a transit gas pipeline from Russia to China through the territory of this country. We suggest that Ulaanbaatar consider the possibility of further using this initiative, which, by the way, is a Mongolian initiative, for the purposes of gasification of Mongolia itself.
As far as I know, Gazprom has declared its readiness to assist Mongolian energy companies in comprehensively assessing the need for natural gas and drawing up a plan for the country's gasification, and Ulaanbaatar has agreed to this proposal. I would like to note that the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline project is progressing, the design documentation has been prepared and passed state expertise, and the parties are generally ready to start construction work as soon as the final contractual arrangements between the Russian supplier and the Chinese buyer are formalized.
- Russia and Mongolia have also signed an agreement on cooperation in the supply of oil products. Will Russia increase oil supplies to the country and is there a similar request from Ulaanbaatar?
- The signing of the agreement was an important milestone for ensuring stability and predictability of oil product supplies from Russia to Mongolia. I would like to emphasize this in particular. We are not talking, as some experts say, about an allegedly indispensable increase in supply volumes and a reduction in prices. The document is of a mutually beneficial nature and, first of all, forms the basis for streamlining the system of placement of orders by Mongolian importers at Russian plants, as well as improving the logistics of shipment of products to Mongolia. At the same time, the Russian side is always ready to increase export volumes of gasoline and diesel fuel in case of relevant requests from our partners. We do not send crude oil to Mongolia.
There is, of course, a possibility of reducing supplies if the project to build a refinery in Mongolia is successfully implemented. It is being built with Indian loan funds and is scheduled for commissioning in 2027. The refinery is designed to process 1.5 million tons of oil. Mongolian friends will have to solve a difficult problem - where to get this oil from. Now only one Chinese company is producing oil in Mongolia. The volume of production is decreasing, and this year it is forecasted at the level of 500 thousand tons. All extracted oil is taken for refining in China, including under a production sharing agreement.
Президент РФ Владимир Путин во время заседания Высшего Евразийского экономического совета (ЕАЭС) в расширенном составе в Кремле
- You said that the Russian Federation supported Mongolia in the issue of duty-free access of its products to the EAEU. How is the process of the country's rapprochement with this association progressing?
- Russian-Mongolian trade is currently characterized by a significant imbalance in favor of Moscow for objective reasons. Since the issues of tariff and non-tariff regulation of trade transactions have been transferred by Russia to the Eurasian Economic Commission at the supranational level, we proposed to our colleagues in Ulaanbaatar to take active steps towards rapprochement with the EAEU in order to increase Mongolian exports to our country.
Russia supported the Mongolian side's request to grant access to the union market duty-free or with minimal duties for 375 items of traditional Mongolian exports, including meat and meat products, wool and cashmere, leather products, leather, and animal hides. In a record time - less than a year - the experts managed to agree on a draft temporary free trade agreement between the EAEU and Mongolia, reflecting the main export interest of the parties. We expect the agreement to be signed by the end of this year and then successfully ratified by the Great State Hural of Mongolia and the parliaments of the EAEU member states.
"More than 300 Mongolian servicemen are studying in military educational institutions of Russia"
- The Selenga-2024 Russian-Mongolian military exercises were held in August. Does Mongolia show interest in strengthening military cooperation with Russia? Does the Russian Federation support Mongolia's possible accession to the CSTO?
- Russia and Mongolia have a long tradition of military cooperation and combat brotherhood, because since the establishment of the Mongolian People's Republic, the Red Army has participated in the process of building the country's armed forces. These traditions were especially strengthened in the battle of Soviet-Mongolian troops on the Khalkhin-Gol River against the Japanese militarists in 1939 and during the Manchurian offensive operation in 1945.
During this more than century-long cooperation, the Mongolian Armed Forces were invariably provided with modern weapons of the USSR and then the Russian Federation.
Our country continues to make a significant contribution to the training of personnel for the Mongolian Armed Forces. More than 300 Mongolian servicemen are studying in Russian military educational institutions. Mongolian children are also currently being trained at the Kyzyl Presidential Cadet School in the Republic of Tyva.
Торжественный проход войск во время российско-монгольских военных учений «Селенга-2024»
The Selenga exercise, which ended in August this year in the Eastern Aimag of Mongolia near the battlefields of 1939 on the Khalkhin-Gol River, has been successfully held since 2008 and has become a hallmark of military cooperation between our states. I note that Selenga-2024 was the first inter-service military exercise on the territory of Mongolia in which land forces, three branches of aviation - fighter, bomber and army, as well as special forces - took part. During the Selenga exercise, anti-terrorist operations were practiced using methods based on the experience of recent military conflicts, including the experience of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
With regard to Mongolia's possible accession to the CSTO, according to Mongolian law, the country cannot join political-military blocs. Nevertheless, we have always welcomed its contacts with the organization and are ready to consider any form of interaction and partnership.
"There are regular reports about the interest of airlines of the two countries in launching new flights"
- It is known that the Russian Federation and Mongolia are discussing the launch of additional flights from the Mongolian capital to Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk, as well as the launch of Ulaanbaatar-Vladivostok flights. Is there any progress in launching new flights between our countries?
- The subject of expanding the geography of flights by Russian and Mongolian airlines and especially the resumption of direct flights between Moscow and Ulaanbaatar is indeed on the agenda of negotiations between the transport departments of our countries. So far, unfortunately, there have been no positive results. Although there are regular reports about the interest of airlines of the two countries in launching new flights between Ulaanbaatar and Russian cities. Recently, for example, it has become known that a Mongolian private airline is planning to operate flights from the Mongolian capital to Novosibirsk, Vladivostok and Irkutsk.
I would like to reiterate that Ulaanbaatar airport is a very convenient transit point for our passengers to fly to the countries of North-East and South-East Asia, first of all to the Republic of Korea (several flights a day). Especially given that Russians do not need a visa to enter Mongolia.
Самолет «Монгольских авиалиний» в аэропорту Улан-Батора
- As for the cultural agenda, are there any new projects planned in this area?
- This year, as part of the annual Days of Russian-Mongolian Friendship and Cooperation, traditionally held in October-November, we are planning, among other things, a concert by Vasily Gerello, a soloist of the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater, a tour of the Chamber Choir of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, a concert of the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater, and a concert of the Tchaikovsky Chamber Choir of the Moscow State Conservatory. Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory Chamber Choir and the Tula State Choir.
In 2024, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Russian artist Nikolai Roerich, who visited Mongolia, will be celebrated. In connection with this date, thematic exhibitions and movie shows about the artist are held here. The possibility of staging Alexander Tchaikovsky's opera "Mercy" based on Nikolai Roerich's play of the same name at the Mongolian State Opera and Ballet Theater is under consideration.
The Mongols would like to host more of our artists and creative teams, but everything is tied up in financing, which, as is often the case, is in short supply.
«Портрет Н.К. Рериха» на открытии выставки «Николай Рерих. Восхождение» в Москве. 2017 год
- Is there interest among young people in Mongolia in the Russian language?
-Of course , there is still interest in our language here, although for objective reasons the sphere of Russian usage in Mongolia has narrowed considerably over the last 30 years due to the radical reduction of bilateral practical cooperation.
There are now only four schools in the country using Russian educational standards. Since the last academic year, we have opened another joint school in Ulaanbaatar. We are making arrangements with our Mongolian partners to sign an intergovernmental agreement that would regulate its material and technical support and protect the rights of our teachers while maintaining all social guarantees. Such an agreement, by the way, could become a model agreement for further expansion of the network of sought-after secondary general education institutions teaching in Russian. At least the Russian side is ready to build them from scratch or open them on the basis of existing educational institutions in the regions of Mongolia, primarily those bordering Russia, where interest in the Russian language is particularly high.
I would like to note that Russian is currently the second most studied foreign language in the country after English (Chinese is in third place). It is compulsory in schools in grades 7-9 (two academic hours per week) and is taught as an elective in grades 10-12. Since this year, English has been legally recognized as the main foreign language in schools (grades 3-12, three hours per week).
Chinese is being promoted through significant efforts of the PRC authorities (it is currently taught in 30 schools in Mongolia, with plans to start teaching it in 40 more).
- Vladimir Putin said earlier that Russia is ready to increase the quota for Mongolian students...
- The President noted Russia's readiness to support the good traditions of training Mongolian personnel in our country, including increasing the relevant government quotas for Mongolia. Now 620 budgetary places are allocated for Mongolians annually. If we look at the population of 3.5 million people in Mongolia, then in percentage terms the quota for this country is one of the largest among foreign countries. By the way, additional places for Mongolians are provided by departmental universities of the Ministry of Defense, Federal Security Service, Ministry of Emergency Situations and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia - at least 100 places annually.
At the same time, there are still many issues that we have to solve. In particular, it is necessary to maintain a sufficient number of applicants with a good command of the Russian language. Unfortunately, so far the level of knowledge of Russian by local schoolchildren is not growing, to put it mildly. It is important to improve the conditions of study of Mongolians in Russia, as it is done, for example, by China, which provides decent scholarships, free dormitories and subsidized meals, compensates the cost of travel to the place of study and even travel to the home country and back during vacations.
Applicants enrolling in Russia, with a scholarship of 3-5 thousand rubles, have to rely on financial assistance from parents or try to work part-time, which prevents them from concentrating on gaining knowledge.
- And how is Russia as a whole trying to promote the Russian language in the country?
- Since 2020, an agreement between the Ministry of Education of Russia and the Ministry of Education of Mongolia on teaching Russian in Mongolian schools by Russian teachers is being implemented. There is an opportunity to increase the number of Russian teachers and schools participating in the project. I should like to point out that our Ministry is very active in the Mongolian area. The Mongolian side, for example, has been offered large-scale projects for exchanges of schoolchildren, short- and medium-term programs to improve the qualifications of Mongolian Russian teachers. We are counting on a constructive response from Ulaanbaatar.
To promote the Russian language through Rossotrudnichestvo, more than fifty Russian language centers (classrooms) have been opened in schools in various parts of the country, equipped with educational and methodological and artistic literature, multimedia linguistic materials, which serve as a good support for local teachers. Courses for Russian teachers have been organized on the basis of the Russian House in Ulaanbaatar.
We aim to expand the practice of teacher and student exchanges and internships on a systematic basis by our universities. There are many successful examples of such activities at the Irkutsk National Research Technical University, the Buryat State University, the V.G. Korolenko Glazov Engineering and Pedagogical University, and universities in the Altai Republic, Altai and Krasnoyarsk Territories.
We highly appreciate the efforts of the head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexey Tsydenov, who has launched a program to train 150 children from Mongolian regions to become teachers of Russian language and primary grades at the expense of the republican budget from 2022. He also helped to resolve the issue of educating 30 schoolchildren from the Mongolian border aimag in our comprehensive school in the town of Kyakhta, i.e. in a fully Russian-speaking environment.
