Japan to dispatch defense attache to Mongolia

Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, right, welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Mongolia. © Kyodo

 ULAANBAATAR -- The leaders of Japan and Mongolia agreed Thursday to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, with Japan to station a defense officer here to strengthen security ties between the two nations.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj in Ulaanbaatar. Abe is here to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting summit, which will begin Friday.

Touching on the recent terrorist attack on a restaurant in Bangladesh that left seven Japanese dead, Abe told Elbegdorj that he hopes to send a clear message through the ASEM that terrorism absolutely will not be tolerated. Elbegdorj said that he condemns all forms of terrorism.

Abe conveyed Japan's desire to send a defense attache to Mongolia so that the two nations can work more closely together on security. An officer is expected to be dispatched as early as the first half of next year.

The two men also talked about North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles. Abe argued that the security threat posed by Pyongyang has reached a new level, citing its launch of two missiles last month that are believed to be of the medium-range Musudan variety, and sought cooperation on stepping up pressure on North Korea.

(Source : asia.nikkei.com)

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