III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 417 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States should expand 

trade opportunities with Mongolia and initiate negotiations to enter into 

a free trade agreement with Mongolia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 19, 2007 

Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, and Ms. MURKOWSKI) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Finance 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States 

should expand trade opportunities with Mongolia and 

initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement 

with Mongolia. 

Whereas Mongolia declared an end to a 1-party Communist 

state in 1990 and embarked on democratic and free market reforms; 

Whereas the free market reforms include adopting democratic 

electoral processes, enacting further political reform 

measures, privatizing state enterprises, lifting price controls, and improving fiscal discipline; 

Whereas, since 1990, Mongolia has made progress to 

strengthen democratic governing institutions and protect 

individual rights; 


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•SRES 417 IS 

Whereas the Department of State found in its 2006 Country 

Reports on Human Rights that Mongolia generally respects the human rights of its citizens, although concerns 

remain, including the treatment of prisoners, freedom of 

the press and information, due process, and trafficking in 

persons; 

Whereas the Department of State found in its 2006 International Religious Freedom report that Mongolia generally respects freedom of religion, although some concerns remain; 

Whereas Mongolia has been a member of the World Trade 

Organization since 1997, and a member of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Asian 

Development Bank since 1991; 

Whereas, in 1999, the United States extended permanent 

nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations 

treatment) to the products of Mongolia; 

Whereas Mongolia has provided strong and consistent support to the United States in the global war on terror, including support for United States military forces and, 

since May 2003, contributed peace keepers to Operation 

Iraqi Freedom, artillery trainers to Operation Enduring 

Freedom, and personnel to the United Nations peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Sierra Leone; 

Whereas the United States and Mongolia signed a bilateral 

Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in 2004; 

Whereas Mongolia has expressed steadfast commitment to 

greater economic reforms, including a commitment to encourage and expand the role of the private sector, increase transparency, strengthen the rule of law, combat 


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•SRES 417 IS 

corruption, and comply with international standards for 

labor and intellectual property rights protection; 

Whereas bilateral trade between the United States and Mongolia in 2005 was valued at more than $165,000,000; 

Whereas, in November 2005, President George W. Bush became the first President of the United States to visit 

Mongolia, and on November 21, 2005, President Bush 

and President Enkhbayar issued a joint statement declaring that the 2 countries are committed to defining guiding principles and expanding the framework of the comprehensive partnership between the United States and 

Mongolia; 

Whereas, on October 18, 2007, the Senate agreed to Senate 

Resolution 352, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 20th anniversary of the United States-Mongolia relations, and encouraged continued economic cooperation with Mongolia; 

Whereas, on October 22, 2007, the United States and Mongolia signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Agreement; 

Whereas, during the October 2007 visit of President 

Enkhbayar to Washington, DC, the United States and 

Mongolia signed a Declaration of Principles for closer cooperation between the 2 countries, reiterating a commitment to expansion of development and long term cooperation in political, economic, trade, investment, educational, 

cultural, arts, scientific and technological, environmental, 

health, defense, security, humanitarian, and other fields; 

and 

Whereas the United States and Mongolia would benefit from 

expanding and diversifying trade opportunities by reducVerDate Aug 31 2005 01:38 Dec 21, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR417.IS SR417

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•SRES 417 IS 

ing tariff and nontariff barriers to trade: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 

2 United States should continue to work with Mongolia to 

3 expand bilateral trade opportunities and initiate negotia4 tions to enter into a free trade agreement with Mongolia. 

Æ 


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