TOM MALINOWSKI MAKES REMARKS ON THE 25 YEARS SINCE MONGOLIAN REVOLUTION

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor: Democracy and Free Speech: The Mongolian Experience at Twenty-Five Years
05/04/2015 12:22 PM EDT

Democracy and Free Speech: The Mongolian Experience at Twenty-Five Years

Remarks
Tom Malinowski
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Freedom Online Conference
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
May 3, 2015

I’m delighted to be here with you to celebrate the 2015 World Press Freedom Day. Every year at this time we reflect on the state of press freedom around the world and honor the sacrifices made by journalists who have lost their lives or been threatened or imprisoned for doing their job, for discovering and telling the truth.

So, as we thank journalists for their work, we also call on governments to recognize the universal human right to free expression both online and offline.

A free press keeps people informed and holds government accountable, and the fact is that we can’t govern honestly without it. This is as true today as it has ever been in the past. Now, it’s true that much has changed in our global media environment. In many developed democracies, there are fewer daily newspapers. More and more people get their information from social media. But whenever I hear about a journalist who is attacked or threatened or censored somewhere in the world, it reminds me just how important journalism is – if it wasn’t important, as a means of giving power to ordinary citizens and curbing the power of governments, no one would go to the trouble of trying to restrain it. In this sense, the death of journalists on the job is proof that the death of journalism – something people in my country ocassionally talk about – is a myth.

It is also, of course, a call to action for all countries committed to human rights. At the State Department last week, we launched our annual Free the Press campaign, in which we highlight cases of individual reporters who have been wrongly imprisoned in countries around the world. One of them is Gao Yu, a 71-year-old Chinese journalist; she was arrested last year, coerced into making a televised confession, and sentenced to seven years in jail. In Syria, Mazen Darwish remains imprisoned by the Asad regime for trying to expose the regime’s brutal atrocities. In Vietnam, Ta Phong Tan continues to serve a 10-year sentence for unmasking government corruption. In Ethiopia, Reeyot Alemu, was arrested for writing an article critical of the Ethiopian government, and remains in prison under terrorism charges.

On Friday, we also invited three journalists who have been censored or detained in their own countries, Russia, Ethiopia and Vietnam, to come to the White House and interview President Obama—because we thought that the best reward you can give to a journalist isn’t praise, it’s an exclusive interview with the President of the United States. When governments go after journalists, this is how the U.S. responds.

We’ve included more details about these brave journalists on www.HumanRights.gov. And we tweeted about these cases using the hashtag #FreethePress. I encourage all of you to share their stories with your community, be that through retweeting, drafting articles or blogs, or if you must, revert to that old-fashioned mode of communication—simply tell your family and friends.

I know that many of you in this room experienced the transition from living in a political system in which freedom of expression was not protected to living in a system that guarantees your power to speak and write according to the dictates of your conscience. Arguably more than many of us in the United States and Europe, you know how important these freedoms are.

It’s been twenty-five years now since Mongolia held a remarkable, peaceful democratic revolution. In an era that saw so much violence and upheaval, Mongolia provided an example of a swift and nonviolent transition to a government that seeks to listen to its people in order to, as we often say in America, form a more perfect union. As the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, I wish there were more “Mongolias” in the world.

Mongolia has not rested on this significant achievement either. It has used the last 25 years to enact reforms protecting human rights and expanding social and economic opportunities for its citizens. Though there is still much difficult work to be done, the government has been doing what governments are supposed to do: removing restrictions on people to let them live lives of their own choosing according to their abilities.

Mongolia has also been recognized as one of the countries leading East Asia to a more democratic and free future. It is an active participant in important multilateral institutions, including the Community of Democracies and the Freedom Online Coalition. It recently chaired the Security Forum of the OSCE, it has been a strong partner of NATO and contributes above and beyond its size to UN Peacekeeping efforts in order to promote peace and security worldwide. We are grateful for Mongolia’s participation in those organizations to promote respect for democracy and human rights in the region.

I’d like to share with you a quote from a speech by President Elbegdorj [pron: EL-beg-dorj] before the Community of Democracies in 2013: “Mongolia stands ready to share her democratic lessons, achievements and success. We stand open to discuss our mistakes, the ways to correct them and to be studied by others. We are ready for action and engagement. Look at us as a center of democracy education, a life model for challenges and opportunities of freedom.”

It is important for countries that believe in these issues and share these values to band together. And Mongolia’s voice is particularly resonant. You are a democracy wedged between two countries with troubling human rights records and a history of censorship and suppression. You are the first country in Asia to participate in the Freedom Online Coalition. You may be smaller than your neighbors to the north and south, but your willingness to lead on these issues, to stick out your neck, makes Mongolia distinctive in the region. It increases Mongolia’s voice in the world.

And this, by the way, is good for you, too. It’s good for Mongolia’s future. You are more likely to attract foreign investment if you have a reputation as a stable country that respects the rule of law. Russia may have resources, strength, a sizable market, but its democratic failings have been felt in a powerful way. A smaller country with similar problems of corruption and abuse of power is simply not going to be able to compete. Your comparative advantage is your reputation.

Now, many factors have played a role in the success of Mongolia’s democracy, but there’s no doubt in my mind that a free media has been front and center. You’ve also faced a question every young democracy must answer, when it suddenly finds itself with dozens of new publications and TV and radio channels operating with few rules or traditions to guide their actions: how do you protect media freedom while encouraging media responsibility? This is a hard question. I would just leave you with this advice: Every country has good journalism and bad journalism. Every country has truth and falsehood in its media. But the government should not be the one deciding the difference. And the answer to bad journalism is not to put journalists in prison, even if we think a particular story they’ve published is untrue. Because when governments have the power to do that, they tend to use it against journalists who criticize them – against journalists who are just doing their job. A far better answer is to encourage the media to adopt high standards of its own, and to police them through strong mechanisms of self-regulation.

In your 25th year of democracy, the United States is eager to help you think through these challenges and build on your achievements thus far. We thank you for your commitment to democratic freedoms and for your leadership. You’ve set a powerful example not just in Asia but around the world, and I am certainly not alone in recognizing the value of our partnership. I would like to echo Vice-President Biden’s comments when he visited your country in 2011, which still ring true. He said we are “very proud to be considered a ‘third neighbor.’ And, like any good neighbor should, we’ll continue to do our part to support Mongolia’s political and economic development.”

On our panel today, we have Ms. Narajargal (Director of Globe International, NGO devoted to press freedom), MP Temuujin (former Minister of Justice), MP Batchimeg (human rights activist), Mr. Galaid (Director, Confederation of Mongolian Journalists), and Mr. Jargalsaikhan (famous Mongolian political and economic journalist). Thank you for joining us today and sharing your expertise as we examine the relationship between democracy and free speech in Mongolia.

Now I’m going to turn the floor over to the excellent panel assembled here today to discuss some of these issues. Please join me in welcoming them.

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL SIGNS JOINT VISION STATEMENT WITH MONGOLIAN DEFENSE MINISTER BAT-ERDENE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Mongolia Minister of Defense Dashdemberel Bat-Erdene sign a joint vision statement at the Ministry of Defense in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, April 10, 2014. DOD Photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo.

Hagel, Mongolian Defense Minister Agree to Deepen Ties

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, April 11, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Defense Minister Dashdemberel Bat-Erdene signed a joint vision statement here yesterday designed to deepen a decade-long defense relationship built on shared interests and forged in combat as troops of both nations fought together in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mongolia was the final stop of a 10-day Asia-Pacific trip -- Hagel’s fourth in less than 12 months -- that began in Hawaii with a meeting of defense ministers of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, and continued in Japan, China and Mongolia.

When Hagel arrived at Ulaanbaatar’s Chinggis Khaan International Airport, among the U.S. Embassy and Mongolian Ministry of Defense officials there to greet him was a woman dressed in a traditional Mongolian garment -- one similar to Mongolian bridal designs used as the basis for costumes worn by Queen Padme Amidala in “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” according to embassy officials.

On the ground, Hagel was presented with traditional welcoming gifts: a blue silk scarf and a silver bowl containing a Mongolian dairy product called aaruul, a dried fermented milk curd.

At the Ministry of Defense, Hagel was greeted by Bat-Erdene and reviewed the colorfully uniformed Mongolian Armed Forces Honor Guard before the two leaders sat down for a meeting and later signed the Joint Vision Statement for the U.S.-Mongolia Security Relationship.

The statement, Hagel said, “expresses our shared desire to continue deepening that defense relationship.”

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Hagel characterized Mongolia, which adopted democracy in 1990, as “a valued partner of the United States” and “a growing state in regional and global security.”

During the meeting with Bat-Erdene, Hagel told the press, “I commended the minister for significant contributions the Mongolian Armed Forces have made to security around the world through participation in many activities. These include United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and fighting alongside the United States in Afghan and Iraq.”

Over the past decade the two militaries have benefited from working together and learning from each other, the secretary added.

According to a U.S. official, the Defense Department provides about $1 million annually in International Military Education and Training, or IMET, funding for MAF troops. IMET graduates have led all 10 rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Foreign Military Financing funds have been used to equip the Mongolian peacekeeping brigade with vehicles, communications equipment and personal equipment. That funding is about $2 million annually, the official said.
At the press conference Hagel said, “As Mongolia invests in defense modernization, the United States will continue to work with our Mongolian partners to include joint training and exercises. This would include increasing opportunities for Mongolia to observe and participate in multilateral exercises.”
The secretary said the defense leaders had also discussed opportunities for the forces to work even more closely together.

A current exercise in which the United States and Mongolia participate is Khaan Quest, one of the world’s largest training exercises focused on peacekeeping operations. A joint venture, Hagel said, is the Five Hills Training Center near Ulaanbaatar, established in 1983. The joint-training military site gives units large areas for field training and exercises and classroom settings for strategic planning lessons.

“We’ll continue to do more together regarding humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the secretary said, “and more joint training exercises that we discussed.”

Hagel added, “We in the United States believe that military-to-military cooperation between Mongolia and the United States is very solid, it is very strong, and we look forward to continuing to deepen and strengthen our military cooperation and relationship.”

A strong U.S.-Mongolia defense relationship is important to America’s rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, the secretary noted, adding that he’s made that point during his current visit to the region and in discussions with Minister Bat-Erdene.
“I did share with the minister some of my reflections on this 10-day trip. I briefed him on all the stops I’ve made,” Hagel said. “I told him about the candid exchanges I’ve had at every stop, including my most recent stop in China, and I specifically mentioned the conversations I had in China regarding the regional security issue and China’s and America’s shared interest in putting our military-to-military relationship on stronger footing, which we think is good for the Asia-Pacific region.”

Hagel said he’d met with 13 Asia-Pacific defense ministers on the trip “and for all those discussions in this 10-day trip it’s clear to me that to preserve the region’s growth and dynamism and opportunities depends on 14 strong security relationships throughout the region, increasing cooperation in areas of common interest, and resolving disputes peacefully.”

Many challenges face all nations in the region today, he added, but also many opportunities.
“We must continue to work together to seize these opportunities as we all build a better future for all of our people,” the secretary said.

After the press conference, Hagel met with 26 Mongolian soldiers who have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and for peacekeeping missions in Africa, including Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Chad. The secretary thanked them for their service and sacrifices.

Mongolia has about 350 troops in Afghanistan today and they are on their 10th rotation conducting security operations. They also had 10 rotations of troops in Iraq, a defense official said.

Hagel’s final stop in Ulaanbaatar was the Government House where he met with Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj.

Hagel’s visit was the first time in 10 years Mongolia’s defense minister and president have met with a U.S. defense secretary, a senior defense official said, and the visit was critical to Mongolia's "Third Neighbor Policy" of outreach to governments beyond China and Russia.

But before Hagel left to meet with the president he received one more traditional gift from the minister of defense -- a 9.5-year old Mongolian horse, small but sturdy with a reddish coat, led by a handler to the area where the secretary was visiting MAF troops.

Hagel beamed and announced that he was naming the horse Shamrock.
“The reason I’m naming him Shamrock,” Hagel told the smiling crowd, “is that shamrock was the mascot of a place I graduated from, St. Bonaventure School in Columbus, Neb.”

Before he left for his meeting with the president, Hagel admired the horse, thanked the minister, and posed with the horse, throwing his arm across Shamrock’s withers as he was told that he would receive letters about Shamrock’s activities and well-being since the secretary was unable to take the horse to the United States.

Later, in the military aircraft on the way home, the secretary showed the reporters traveling with him a large framed photograph of Hagel and Shamrock standing cozily together, Shamrock wearing a hackamore of leather and polished stones and metal tied with a blue silk scarf.

The secretary said he would send the framed photograph to St. Bonaventure for the school’s permanent collection of graduate memorabilia.

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK FINALIZES AGREEMENT TO EXPORT BOEING AIRCRAFT TO MONGOLIA

FROM:   U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK 
Ex-Im Bank Finalizes Agreement for U.S. Export Transaction to Mongolia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Officials from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) and MIAT Mongolian Airlines (MIAT) participated in a signing ceremony today that finalized the export of a U.S. Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with GE engines to MIAT.

Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg, MIAT President and CEO Jargalsaikhan Gungaa, and PEFCO Vice President Vince Herman signed the financing documents. Altangerel Bulgaa, Mongolia’s Ambassador to the United States, and representatives from GE and The Boeing Company were also in attendance.

The transaction, guaranteed by Mongolia’s Ministry of Finance, was previously approved by Ex-Im Bank’s board of directors and counts as both the Bank’s first significant transaction in Mongolia and its first transaction with MIAT.

“There are numerous opportunities for U.S. exporters in Mongolia, and I hope that this agreement encourages more Americans to explore this diverse and exciting market,” said Chairman Fred P. Hochberg. “By increasing MIAT’s fleet, we are able to support high-quality jobs in both the United States and Mongolia.”

“Aviation plays a strategic role in Mongolia’s global interactions. Boeing is delighted that MIAT’s latest 767-300ER marks the carrier’s first direct purchase of one of our jetliners and continues the airline’s reliance on quality U.S. made aircraft to meet its mission.  This, in turn, links Mongolia to the success of American aviation manufacturing and the many thousands of U.S. jobs it supports,” said John Wojick, senior vice president, Global Sales & Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“MIAT is pleased to conclude its first financing transaction with the support of Ex-Im Bank,” said President Jargalsaikhan Gungaa. “We are proud to be the first airline in Mongolia to acquire an aircraft directly from The Boeing Company and to finance an aircraft with the support of Ex-Im Bank. This is an important step for the aviation industry in Mongolia, and the confidence shown by Ex-Im Bank in Mongolia will have a positive impact on all industries.”

Last year, Chairman Hochberg participated in a business-development mission in Mongolia, where he encouraged sourcing of U.S. products and services for regional infrastructure projects. Chairman Hochberg also oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Development Bank of Mongolia to facilitate trade opportunities between the United States and Mongolia.

INTERNATIONAL SENIOR MILITARY GATHER TO LEARN USE OF NONLETHAL WEAPONS TO PUT DOWN CIVIL UNREST

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2013 - Senior military leaders from 22 nations, most in the Asia-Pacific region, are gathered in Mongolia this week to learn about nonlethal weapons and how their forces can more effectively use them, when circumstances require, such as to maintain order during low-intensity conflict or civil unrest.

The two-day leadership seminar, sponsored by U.S. Marine Forces Pacific, began yesterday with demonstrations of nonlethal tactics, techniques and procedures at a training area about 30 miles west of Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital, Marine Corps Col. Brad Bartelt, the senior U.S. seminar representative, told American Forces Press Service.

The session continues through tomorrow in the capital city, with participants discussing how they might apply the principles demonstrated.

The leadership seminar is the second phase of a two-part program conducted to promote awareness of nonlethal weapons and increase interoperability among those that use them, Bartelt said.

The training kicked off Aug. 17 with a bilateral field training exercise between U.S. and Mongolian forces at Mongolia's Five Hills Training Area. Fifteen 15 nonlethal weapons instructors from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force's 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion conducted hands-on training for more than 150 members of the Mongolian armed forces and general police, Bartelt reported.

Together, they rehearsed nonlethal tactics and procedures such as control holds and pressure-point techniques. They also got hands-on training with various nonlethal weapons systems, including oleoresin capsicum, or "pepper spray," the X26 Taser, 40-millimeter sponge and "stingball" grenades and nonlethal shotgun rounds.

"The extensive, tactical-level training that took place during the FTX greatly increased the nonlethal proficiency of both the U.S. Marines who led the training, as well as the Mongolian personnel who might have been exposed to these nonlethal procedures for the first time," Bartelt said.

Marine Corps Sgt. Ben Eberle, a combat correspondent who witnessed the training, said he was impressed how quickly the Mongolians absorbed on the information covered. "Show them once, and they had it," he said. "And it's all even more impressive since everyone communicated with each other through interpreters."

Each experienced firsthand how it feels to be hit with a nonlethal weapon, designed to intimidate or inflict pain or discomfort rather than to kill. "No matter what language we speak, everyone runs through the [observer-controller] course in pain, and everyone takes a stun from a Taser the same way," Eberle said. "Just because it's nonlethal doesn't mean it's pain-free. I think whoever said friends are made through hardship hit the nail right on the head."

The training could prove valuable for the Mongolian armed forces, a major contributor to peacekeeping operations around the world, Bartelt said. The Mongolians have deployed in support of U.N. peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, Sierra Leon and the Balkans, and continue to augment the coalition in Afghanistan, he noted.

In many instances during these missions, nonlethal weapons can be valuable additions to ground commanders, he said.

"There are times when lethal force is not the best option," Bartelt said. "For example, the effective use of nonlethal weapons can prove extremely valuable during rescue missions, situations in which civilians are used to mask a military attack, as well as riots and cases of civil disturbance during humanitarian assistance-disaster relief operations."

Nonlethal weapons are designed to incapacitate equipment and people, minimizing fatalities and permanent injury and collateral property damage, Bartelt said. "Being able to use them effectively greatly increases the options a commander has while operating in the full spectrum of conflict," he said.

As the Defense Department's executive agent for nonlethal weapons and devices, the Marine Corps frequently leads related training, not only within the U.S. military, but also with partner nations.

Since 2002, Marine Corps Forces Pacific has sponsored the executive seminar series 12 times with partners throughout the region. This year's exercise is the third to be hosted by Mongolia, and New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia have hosted previous sessions.

The training, Bartelt said, promotes closer partnership across the region, a pillar of the U.S. military rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific as nations work together to confront common challenges.

Recognizing that nonlethal capabilities and procedures vary significantly across nations, Bartelt called the exercise an opportunity to increase interoperability with partners "in the event we ever find ourselves side by side in a situation where we need to put this training to use."

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK FINANCES MONGOLIAN MINE WITH $500 MILLION LOAN

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Approves $500 million to Finance U.S. Exports
for Use in Mongolian Mine
Transaction will support 2,000 Jobs Across Several States

Washington, D.C. – The board of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has voted to authorize an approximately $500 million direct loan to finance the continued development of a Mongolian mine that upon completion will generate approximately 30 percent of the Mongolian GDP.


Additionally, Ex-Im Bank’s financing will support approximately 2,000 U.S. jobs across the United States, according to Bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology.

"This transaction will not only support good jobs and bolster our economy here in America, it will also provide a lift to the Mongolian economy and directly impact the country’s GDP," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "Moreover, by using American-made products in this large project, the financing will support thousands of U.S. jobs in states like Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas. This transaction is even more proof of the value of exports in continuing to help the U.S. economy grow."

The Oyu Tolgoi mine, which is located in the South Gobi region approximately 550 kilometers south of the the capital city Ulaanbaatar, is an open-pit and underground copper mine that will produce concentrate containing copper, gold, and silver. Once developed, the mine will rank as one of the largest copper mines in the world. It will also count as one of the most important capital projects in Mongolia.

The mine is operated by Oyu Tolgoi LLC, which is jointly owned by Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. of Canada and Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC of Mongolia. Leading global mining company Rio Tinto holds a majority stake in Turquoise Hill.

Ex-Im Bank has worked closely with the other lenders and sponsors to ensure that the project was planned to minimize the impacts on the local residents and environment in compliance with Ex-Im Bank’s strict Environmental Procedures and Guidelines and Mongolian law.

One U.S. small business that will benefit from the project is CC Solutions LLC, a Yonkers, N.Y.-based company that is a specialist in export credit agency administration. The company’s proprietary software, MTS, has processed nearly $1 billion in Ex-Im Bank disbursements across the world.

"The financing of this and other projects by Ex-Im Bank has allowed our company to provide high-value professional services, leading to permanent and partial employment for five people in the United States," said Valerie Colville, principle of CC Solutions. "The Mongolian economy will benefit tremendously from the development of the Oyu Tolgoi project. Significant mineral deposits will be recovered in a responsible and environmentally-sound manner, and the proceeds will be used for the human and social development of the people of Mongolia."

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON MEETS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER MINH OF VIEWTNAM

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh After Their Meeting
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Government Guest House
Hanoi, Vietnam
July 10, 2012
FOREIGN MINISTER MINH: (In Vietnamese.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Foreign Minister Minh, for your warm welcome today. It's wonderful being back in Vietnam, and I appreciate this opportunity to reaffirm the growing and mutually beneficial partnership between our two nations.

I fondly remember my first visit here in the year 2000, and it's remarkable now on my third visit as Secretary of State to see all the changes and the progress that we've made together. We're working on everything from maritime security and nonproliferation to public health and disaster relief to promoting trade and economic growth. And of course, as the Minister and I discussed, we continued to address legacy issues such as Agent Orange, unexploded ordnance, and accounting for those missing in action as well.
Vietnam has emerged as a leader in the lower Mekong region and in Southeast Asia, and the United States and Vietnam share important strategic interests. When the Foreign Minister and I travel to the ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh, we will have a chance to engage with our colleagues such as regional integration, the South China Sea, cyber security, North Korea, and the future of Burma.

The United States greatly appreciates Vietnam's contributions to a collaborative, diplomatic resolution of disputes and a reduction of tensions in the South China Sea. And we look to ASEAN to make rapid progress with China toward an effective code of conduct in order to ensure that as challenges arise, they are managed and resolved peacefully through a consensual process in accordance with established principles of international law.

The Foreign Minister and I discussed these and many other issues, including our interest in deepening cultural, educational, and economic ties. We have a business delegation with us on this trip, and I will be meeting with them later.

I will also help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the return of the Fulbright Program in Vietnam. Nearly 15,000 Vietnamese students study in the United States each year. They come home and contribute to Vietnam's continued development, and we are very much hoping to deepen our ties even further by sending Peace Corps volunteers to Vietnam in the near future.

When I visit with the American Chamber of Commerce and a number of both Vietnamese and American business leaders, we will look for ways to expand trade and investment. As the Minister and I were discussing, it has increased from practically nothing in 1995 to more than $22 billion today. In fact, in just the two years that – between now and 2010, it's grown more than 40 percent.

So we're working on expanding it through a far-reaching, new regional trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would lower trade barriers while raising standards on everything from labor conditions to environmental protection to intellectual property. Both of our countries will benefit. And in fact, economists expect that Vietnam would be among the countries under the Trans-Pacific Partnership to benefit the most. And we hope to finalize this agreement by the end of the year.

Higher standards are important, because if Vietnam is going to continue developing and transition to an innovative entrepreneurial economy for the 21st century, there will have to be more space created for the free exchange of ideas, to strengthen the rule of law, and respect the universal rights of all workers, including the right to unionize.

I want to underscore something I said in Mongolia yesterday. I know there are some who argue that developing economies need to put economic growth first and worry about political reform and democracy later, but that is a short-sided bargain. Democracy and prosperity go hand in hand, political reform and economic growth are linked, and the United States wants to support progress in both areas.

So I also raised concerns about human rights, including the continued detention of activists, lawyers, and bloggers, for the peaceful expression of opinions and ideas. In particular, we are concerned about restrictions on free expression online and the upcoming trial of the founders of the so-called Free Journalists Club. The Foreign Minister and I agreed to keep talking candidly and to keep expanding our partnership.

So again, Minister Minh, let me thank you for your hospitality and thank you for coming back from Cambodia to meet with me. I greatly appreciate that effort that you made, and we look forward to continuing both our bilateral and regional cooperation.

MODERATOR: (In Vietnamese.)

QUESTION: (In Vietnamese.)

FOREIGN MINISTER MINH: (In Vietnamese.)

MODERATOR: (In Vietnamese.)

QUESTION: Thanks very much. Madam Secretary, Egypt's highest court and its top generals rejected President Morsi's call to reconvene parliament, and that's setting them on a direct collision course. What do you think this does to the political stability in Egypt? And do you view that as a matter of a power grab or a defense of democracy?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first, I think it is important what is happening into context. There was a largely peaceful revolution, competitive elections, and now there is an elected president, the first ever in Egypt's very long history, and the United States remains committed to working with Egypt, both the government and civil society to assist it in completing a democratic transition, in particular, dealing with a lot of the difficult economic and security issues that the new government will have to face. But I think it's important to underscore that democracy is not just about elections. It is about creating a vibrant, inclusive political dialogue, listening to civil societies, having good relations between civilian officials and military officials where each is working to serve the interests of the citizens, and democracy really is about empowering citizens to determine the direction of their own country.

And I’m well aware that change is difficult. It's not going to happen quickly. We've seen over the last few days that there's a lot of work ahead of Egypt to keep this transition on course, and we urge that there be intensive dialogue among all of the stakeholders in order to ensure that there is a clear path for them to be following and that the Egyptian people get what they protested for and what they voted for, which is a fully elected government making the decisions for the country going forward. And the United States has been a partner with Egypt for a long time. We want to continue to work with them to promote regional stability, to prevent conflict, to try to protect our mutual interests in the region. The relationship is important to us. It's also important to Egypt's neighbors.
So I look forward to meeting with and talking to President Morsi and other leading Egyptian officials along with representatives from a broad cross section of Egyptian society when I'm in Egypt this weekend to hear their views. But we strongly urge dialogue and a concerted effort on the part of all to try to deal with the problems that are understandable but have to be resolved in order to avoid any kind of difficulties that could derail the transition that is going on.

MODERATOR: (In Vietnamese.)

QUESTION: (In Vietnamese.)

MODERATOR: That's a question for you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Is it for me? Ah. (Laughter.) I'm sorry. I didn't realize that. As we discussed, I have worked very hard to make sure that the United States is addressing the Agent Orange issue. It is a legacy issue that we are – we remain concerned about, and we have increased our financial commitment to dealing with it. The Minister and I discussed consulting on having a long-term plan so that we can look not just from year to year, but into the future to try to determine the steps that we can both take. The Minister also mentioned the idea of getting the private sector involved in remediation efforts, and we will certainly explore that as part of this ongoing discussion.
And then with respect to missing in action accounting, the United States greatly appreciates Vietnam's cooperation over more than two decades in our efforts to account for missing U.S. personnel. In fact, we began that effort even before we established formal diplomatic relations back in 1995. When I visited with my husband when he came as President in 2000, we went out and saw the work of the joint American-Vietnamese teams, and I was deeply moved by that. And we want to continue that work. It's work that we believe very strongly in. Through these efforts, we've repatriated and identified nearly 700 Americans. But nearly 1,300 personnel remain missing, and when Secretary Panetta was here, Vietnam announced that it would open areas that had previously been restricted, and we're very appreciative of that. And we want to do more to help Vietnam recover their missing as well. So there's a lot for us to be doing, and we want to be as focused in the follow-up as possible.

MODERATOR: (In Vietnamese.)

QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Brad Klapper from AP. You'll be going as well to Israel next week and – in another effort to promote peace efforts. At the same time, the Palestinian Prime Minister has – Palestinian President has approved the exhumation of former leader Yasser Arafat amid claims that he may have been poisoned by Israel. In this kind -- is this kind of atmosphere conducive to any progress on peace? And if there were any evidence uncovered to suggest or even create more suspicion regarding Arafat's death, what would that mean for peace efforts? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Bradley, I'm not going to answer a string of hypotheticals. Nobody can predict what may or may not come of such action. I'll be going to Israel to discuss a broad range of issues that are of deep concern to Israel, to the United States, and to the region and certainly the ongoing efforts to create a conducive environment for the peace processes among them. But it's not the only important matter on our agenda. But I think that we are not going to be responding to the rumors or the suppositions that others are making. I will await whatever investigation is carried out. But I also look forward to continuing my dialogue with the Palestinians. As you know, I met with President Abbas in Paris a few days ago. I look forward to seeing other Palestinian leaders as well. So I think there is a broad discussion that is important for us to have without in any way prejudging the outcome of any individual issue.

MODERATOR: (In Vietnamese.)

FOREIGN MINISTER MINH: Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.

U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK SIGNS DEAL TO FACILITATE TRADE BETWEEN U.S. AND MONGOLIA

                                                        Map:  Central Intelligence Agency
FROM:  U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank, Development Bank of Mongolia Sign MOU to Facilitate Trade Partnership Between Countries
Ex-Im Chairman conducting first business development mission to Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) and the Development Bank of Mongolia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 1st to facilitate trade opportunities between the United States and Mongolia.

Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg and Development Bank Chaiman Bazarsuren Batjargal signed the agreement at the Government House of Mongolia.
“Mongolia has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and there are enormous opportunities for U.S. businesses to help meet the country’s growing infrastructure needs,” said Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of Ex-Im Bank. “Signing this document represents a pledge of cooperation, and we look forward to working together on upcoming projects that benefit both of our countries.”

Chairman Hochberg is on a business-development mission in Mongolia to encourage sourcing of U.S. products and services for regional infrastructure projects. The Bank has historically had limited exposure in the country, however, several products are currently in the pipeline that will increase Ex-Im’s activity.
This is Hochberg’s first visit to Mongolia, and it is the first recorded visit of an Ex-Im Bank chairman to the country since the Bank was formed in 1934.

About Ex-Im Bank:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

Ex-Im Bank approved $32.7 billion in total authorizations in FY 2011 -- an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6 billion directly supporting small-business export sales -- also an Ex-Im record.