Ansari meets top Mongolian leaders

Vice President Hamid Ansari today held talks with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and other top leadership on a host of bilateral issues.
During meetings with President Elbegdorj, new Prime Minister J Erdenebat and new Speaker M Enkhbold on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Summit here, the issue of USD 1 billion Line of Credit offered to Mongolia by India was also discussed.
The Mongolian side informed India that they would come up with specific projects once the new leadership in the country settles down.
"In all the three meetings, the Vice President was very warmly received. All the three leaders unanimously conveyed their warmth towards India and recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's very successful visit to the country in May last year which was a landmark visit in our bilateral relations," Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters.

Ansari was gifted a horse by President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.
Ansari also held talks with a host of Asian leaders, including Prime Ministers of Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

He also had brief discussion with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Vice President held bilateral meeting with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev during which the latter invited him to visit his country, which is keen to boost trade ties with India, Saran said.
At the first day of the ASEM Summit, Asian and European leaders condemned the terror attack in the French city of Nice and reiterated the need to tackle terrorism.
During the Summit, the leaders also talked about the South China Sea issue, days after a UN-backed tribunal struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the disputed waters in a case brought by the Philippines.

They also voiced their opposition to the use of force and the need for freedom of navigation in international waters.