"Mongolia and Italy have ancient relations and we have a similar history in founding great empires. There are historical facts that Roman Catholics had ties with Mongolians during the seventh century. Our museums have rare valuable documents relating to Roman envoys. Today our countries are going to sign important documents within frames of my official visit. I wish the cooperation between our countries to develop in all sectors; especially, in the fields of agriculture, productions of leather wool and cashmere" said Ts.Elbegdorj. "Mongolia is interested in supplying cashmere, wool and leather products to the world market with help of Italian technology" he added.
President Elbegdorj emphasized the importance of creating a permanent mechanism for the connection of businessmen with an aim to develop collaboration to exploit all opportunities of the two sides. Then, he informed that a Mongolia-Italy business forum will take place during his visit.
In turn, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano wish success for the visit of the Mongolian President, and pointed out that this visit opens a new chapter for bilateral ties. Mentioning that Italy has gained achievements in developing small and medium-sized production, President Napolitano expressed readiness to share specialists and to train Mongolian experts with the latest technologies. It is possible to exchange specialists on cashmere and wool productions, he said.
During the talks, the Presidents discussed bilateral cooperation in the educational sector. The Mongolian side requested Italy to render support for preparing specialists for small and medium-sized productions and mining. The two Presidents also underlined that opening of the Mongolian Embassy in Italy has become one of the most important events for the both countries.
Mr. Napolitano congratulated Mongolia on chairing the Community of Democracies (CD) and wished success for works during the presidency. The sides then shared views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues.
Ts.Elbegdorj pointed out that developing relations and cooperation with Italy is one of the priorities of Mongolia's foreign policy and then said he is ready to collaborate with the Italian President in enhancing bilateral friendly relations.
The prize for Abolitionist of the Year 2011 was awarded to Presiedent Ts.Elbegdorj by the Hands Off Cain World Coalition against capital punishment. for having introduced a moratorium on capital punishment in 2010. The prize recognizes the person with the strongest commitment to the movement for a moratorium on capital punishment and the abolition of the death penalty.
Presidents Ts.Elbegdorj also visited Vatican City where he met with Pope Benedict XVI on October 17. The President appreciated the cause of Pope Benedict for peace and humanity and underlined that inter-religious dialogue is an important tool for collaboration dedicated to common interests of humankind.
Pope Benedict expressed thanks to the President Ts.Elbegdorj for visiting Vatican City and congratulated him on initiatives for human rights protection. President Ts.Elbegdorj and Pope Benedict shared views on combating global climate change preserving the environment reducing poverty and food shortage and tackling conflicts with peaceful ways.
Ts.Elbegdorj expressed willingness to study documents and historical items together that are related to Mongolian history and cultural heritage and preserved in libraries and archives of the Vatican In addition. Mongolia and Vatican City agreed to cooperate in preparing researchers on Latin language.
The same day the President met with Tarcisio Bertone the Cardinal Secretary of State of Vatican City Ts.Elbegdorj expressed thanks to Vatican City for rendering humanitarian assistance to Mongolia for overcoming difficulties of natural disasters and supporting vulnerable groups. During this meeting the President invited Pope Benedict to visit Mongolia.
During the Presidential visit to Italy the TsElbegdorj attended a ceremony to open the Embassy of Mongolia in Rome on October 18.
There was a growing need for Mongolia to have its Embassy in Italy because relations and collaboration in agriculture, sciences,education, culture and arts have been developing rapidly along with an increase in the number of Mongolian students and Mongolians staying there.
It is believed that opeing a Mongolian Embassy will strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation and create an opportunity to widen ties with the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization. World Food Program. International Fund for Agricultural Development and other international organizations.
Franco Frattini, Foreign affairs Minister of Italy told his Mongolian counterpart G.Zandanshatar, that he will support activities of Mongolia's Embassy in all possible ways.
Within frames of the visit the sides signed the following cooperation documents. with the attendance of President Ts.Elbegdorj:
-a memorandum on cooperation in the agricultural sector was signed by T.Badamjunai, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, and by Paolo Romani, Italy's Minister of Economic Development.
-a memorandum on investment and financing by M.Bayarmagnai. Director of the Mongolian Foundation for Development of Small and Medium-Sized Productions. and by M.D Auto, Executive Director of the Simest organization.
-a memorandum on supplying food equipment by L.Ganpurev, President of Mongolia's Association of Meat and E.M.Arosio, President of the Assefoodtech company.
-a memorandum of cooperation by the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the University of Turin.
During the ceremony held at the Ministry of Economic Development. Minister Paolo Romani said that the countries are possible to cooperate in the fields of mining, infrastructure and agriculture.
On October 19, President Ts.Elbegdorj met Dr Jacques Diouf Director-General Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at its central office in Rome. In the beginning of the meeting. Dr Jacques Diouf recalled his visit to Mongolia and said he was very much impressed with Mongolia.
The President underlined that cooperation between Mongolia and the FAO is effective. "The issue of food reserves is attracting much attention worldwide. We are fully potential to become a food exporter from a country that receives food aid. Mongolia has vast territory and millions of livestock. We can fully provide ourselves with wheat. potato and vegetables. With the support of FAO. we want to be a country with reserves and a model base of wheat and animal-originated products in the Aia and Pacific region. Also, we have a request to organize next regular regional meeting of UN FAO in Ulaanbaatr. We believe that organizing the meeting can be significant to introduce features of Mongolia's agricultural sector, food reserve and the sector's cooperation. Today, managing a fishery is one way to resolve food shortage in the world. Mongolia is a country with much pure water resource. We want to cooperate in establishing a fishery in Mongolia," said President Ts.Elbegdorj.
Dr Diouf expressed his support for initiatives made by the President Elbegdorj and decided to scrutinize the issues.
In the course of his official visit to Italy, the President got a fiat with the library and archives of the Vatican. In the Vatican Secret Archive, one of biggest archives in the world, historical documents and letters dated back to the Great Mongolian Empire are preserved.
There is a letter sent in 1246 by Mongolia's Great Khaan Guyug to Pope Innocent IV, a decree by llkhan Aba (in 1267 or 1279), a letter sent in 1290 by llkhan Arghun to Pope Nicolas IV and a letter sent in 1302 by llkan Ghazan to Pope Boniface VIII.
The original 800 year-old letters are being preserved in the Vatican Secret Archive.
After seeing the archive, the archive staff presented copies of some of historical documents to President Ts.Elbegdorj for preservation.
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