By Prashanth Parameswaran
The three countries held their inaugural trilateral meeting in New York last week.
As I have written previously, the past few years have witnessed the strengthening of several trilateral mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific, including U.S.-Japan-India and U.S.-Japan-Australia (See: “Why the ‘New’ US Trilateral Dialogue with Japan and India Matters”). One of the more neglected ones in the mix has been the U.S.-Japan-Mongolia trilateral.
The U.S.-Japan-Mongolia trilateral is an outgrowth of Ulaanbaatar’s long held close relationships with both countries, partly of its ‘third neighbor policy’ aimed at cultivating relationships with other important states to reduce its dependence on its two neighbors, China and Russia (though it should not be forgotten that Mongolia also has a separate trilateral with Beijing and Moscow). Japan has been Mongolia’s largest aid donor since the 1990s, and U.S.-Mongolia relations, first established in 1987, have strengthened due to recent developments including Ulaanbataar’s support for U.S.-led efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The rise of the trilateral between the three democracies is also yet another manifestation of the more active role Mongolia is seeking to play in the region and world under President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj. His tenure has witnessed the rise of several Mongolia-led initiatives, from the birth of regional institutions like the Ulaanbataar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security to a willingness to play a role in mediating role between North Korea and the international community.
Read the full story at The Diplomat