President of the Japanese Tourism Union Shibata Kosuke met his Mongolian counterpart Ts.Bayarsaikhan yesterday. Bayarsaikhan also chairs Parliament’s Standing Committee on the Economy. Both expressed happiness at the growing cooperation in tourism between the two countries.

The Autumn session of Parliament convened at 11 on Thursday, as scheduled. Members, most of whom had spent the break in their constituency, were welcomed back to legislative work by Speaker D.Demberel and, after him, by President Elbegdorj. The only disappointed man was S.Erdene of the DP, whose hopes of taking his seat in Parliament after waiting for 15 months were not fulfilled as the Speaker adjourned the house before he could take his oath.

Reviewing President Elbegdorj’s visit to India, a news agency has said an Indian proposal to have an airbase in Mongolia to increase its strategic outreach in the Central Asian region appears to have been shelved amid concerns that it could exacerbate tensions with China. The idea was mooted in January 2004 during the visit of then Mongolian Prime Minister N. Enkhbayar. It elicited a positive response in Mongolia.

The GEC will be registering candidates for the Chingeltei by-election between today and October 3. The contest will be mainly between Mineral and Energy Minister D.Zorigt of the MPRP and Head of Voters’ Education Center Mrs. R.Burmaa of the DP, but there are several other candidates.

In an unprecedented move, journalists were not allowed to be present when the General Election Committee (GEC) submitted S.Erdene’s name to the President for approval as the last MP to be elected from Bayangol constituency. Later, when journalists asked GEC Head N.Luvsanjav, GEC Secretary Ch.Sodnomtseren, and the Head of the Presidential Office, D.Dorligjav, about what had been discussed with the President, Luvsanjav said, “There was no discussion.”