Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Meeting With the Prime Minister of Mongolia, His Excellency Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene

Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene today at the Pentagon to discuss issues of mutual concern and to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Mongolian bilateral relationship.

Secretary Austin noted that this was the first time a Mongolian Prime Minister had visited the Pentagon and expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister's efforts to strengthen the bilateral defense relationship between our two nations. Secretary Austin conveyed his gratitude to Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene for the decades of partnership between DoD and the Mongolian Armed Forces, while noting, in particular, his gratitude for Mongolia's contributions to U.S. stabilization missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Secretary Austin commended Mongolia on its impressive record of performance in United Nations peacekeeping operations worldwide and noted the 20 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles that Mongolia will be receiving from the United States in support of Mongolia's UN peacekeeping missions. The two leaders also discussed ways to enhance U.S.-Mongolian defense cooperation, as well as a range of other regional challenges.