Mongolia and the United States: A Diplomatic History

Chapter 8: Looking Ahead

“God has placed in every human heart the desire to be free.” In mid-June 2011, following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessors Ochirbat (1993–97), Bagabandai (1997–2005), and Enkhbayar (2005–08), all of whom had met with serving American presidents, President Elbegdorj traveled to Washington to meet with President Obama at the White House. His trip to the United States lasted most of the week. It started in San Francisco, where he met the mayor, visited The Asia Foundation and the Asia Museum, spoke at Stanford University, and held a dialogue with members of the Mongolian American community living in the Bay area. He also officially opened the new Mongolian Consulate in San Francisco, an important step that should help further strengthen Mongolia’s profile in the western United States. Several days later, President Elbegdorj concluded his American journey in New York, where he spoke to the Council on Foreign Relations and was interviewed by various members of the press. In between, the wide range of activities arranged during his two-day stay at Blair House in Washington reflected the depth and breadth of the expanding US-Mongolian partnership over nearly 25 years. While the Oval Office meeting was the highlight of the journey, other stops in Washington underscored the comprehensive and growing nature of the diplomatic relationship. Having studied at the University of Colorado and at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, President Elbegdorj was well aware of the symbolism associated with many of the events on his itinerary. For example, he began his first day in Washington by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, accompanied by his wife and youngest son, who was born Chapter 8 Looking Ahead 142 Mongolia and the United States in Massachusetts around the same time as the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and New York’s World Trade Center in 2001. From there, he proceeded to Walter Reed Hospital, meeting with wounded American soldiers and delivering handwritten greeting cards prepared by his 24 foster children back in Ulaanbaatar. PresidentElbegdorjwasaccompaniedonhisvisittobothArlingtonCemetery and Walter Reed by Sergeant Azzaya and Sergeant Samuu-Yondon, the two Mongolian NCOs who had demonstrated conspicuous bravery in foiling the plans of a would-be suicide bomber during the Mongolian military’s second rotation in Iraq. Later, he was joined at Blair House by Minister of Defense Bold in a meeting with Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing another opportunity to discuss the evolution of Mongolia’s military over the past many years, including not only its current deployment in Afghanistan but also its growing role in UN peacekeeping operations throughout the world. Other aspects of the visit emphasized Mongolia’s growing commercial ties with the United States and its commitment to democracy. During his time in Washington, President Elbegdorj addressed a large group of business leaders at a lunch sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce; witnessed new agreements with the Department of Commerce and Federal Aviation Authority; observed the signing of documents to formalize the sale of three Boeing aircraft to Mongolia; and was hosted at another lunch by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, an American of Chinese origin who would shortly depart as the new United States ambassador to Beijing. Democracy themes also figured prominently in the visit, for example in a speech at the Brookings Institution and in meetings on Capitol Hill with the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives. At a lecture at the US Capitol sponsored by the Congressional Mongolian Caucus with the House Democracy Partnership and the National Endowment for Democracy, President Elbegdorj reflected at length on “shared” values, repeating more than once the statement that democracy is truly a Mongolian value and that Mongolians, too, desire to decide for themselves where they live, what they believe, how they worship and what they want to think and say. Reflecting further, at one point he suggested, “God has placed in every human heart the desire to be free.” On one evening, the Mongolian embassy hosted a reception at a restaurant overlooking the Mall, the Washington Monument, and the US Capitol. The Looking Ahead 143 event started with two national anthems—one a praise song to the Mongolian homeland, the other the “Star Spangled Banner,” both delivered in the haunting, high voice of a Mongolian long song singer. In another evening event, this one sponsored by the...