The Hon. Kevin Andrews today welcomed Mr Avirmid Battur, Mongolian Vice Minister of Defense, to Canberra as part of his official visit to Australia from 8-11 February 2015.
Minister Andrews said Australia and Mongolia’s shared interest in the maintenance of regional peace and stability lends itself to a cooperative bilateral defence relationship.
“We welcomed the opportunity to discuss proposals for future engagement, including in educational and professional exchanges, as well as in further developing peacekeeping cooperation,” Mr Andrews said.
Vice Minister Battur’s program includes meetings with the Hon. Stuart Robert MP, Assistant Minister for Defence, Mr Dennis Richardson, Secretary of the Department of Defence, and Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, Acting Chief of the Defence Force.
Vice Minister Battur’s broader program includes a visit to the Australian Defence College and the Australian Civil-Military Centre, as well as laying a wreath at the Australian War Memorial.
In recognition of Australia and Mongolia’s common defence interests and existing program of defence cooperation, Vice Minister Battur and Secretary Richardson signed the Australia-Mongolia Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding on Monday 9 February.
The Memorandum of Understanding will contribute to the advancement of bilateral defence relations and mutual understanding. It will also provide a framework for furthering cooperation in activities such as training and education, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and peacekeeping capacity-building.
Vice Minister Battur’s visit is the most senior Mongolian defence visit to Australia since the visit to Australia by Lieutenant General Tserendejid Byambajav, Chief of General Staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces, November 2012.