Mongolia and U.S. Co-sponsor Multinational Peacekeeping Training

Date:  July 26, 2007
Contact:  Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy
              976-11-329095, 976-11-312376      

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — The Mongolian Armed Forces and U.S. Pacific Command are co-sponsoring Exercise Khaan Quest 2007, multinational peacekeeping training, August 1-16, at the Five Hills Training Area and the city of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.  Exercise Khaan Quest is the 2007 capstone event for the Global Peace Operations Initiative.  GPOI is a five-year program managed by the U.S. Department of State to assist in training international partners in peacekeeping operations.

Approximately 600 members of the Mongolian Armed Forces, 220 U.S. military, and 240 international military representatives will participate in the exercises.  The scheduled multinational participants for the Field Training Exercise include the Republic of Korea, Bangladesh, Tonga, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Cambodia. The scheduled multinational observers include China, Japan, Malaysia and Russia.  U.S. participants include U.S Marine Corps Forces Pacific, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, the GPOI training team from U.S. Pacific Command, and the United Nations Training of Trainers team.

Through participation in this exercise, U.S., Mongolian and other international forces will strengthen peace operations capabilities, improve interoperability and gain planning expertise.  The overall goal is for participants to achieve United Nations “Training Recognition” status.

The field training exercise held at Five Hills will train participants in core competencies for peace operations.  U.S., Mongolian and international forces will conduct peace operations training and tactical exercises designed to improve multinational speed of response, mission effectiveness, interoperability and unity of effort.  

As part of Exercise Khaan Quest 2007, cooperative humanitarian civic action projects, such as the renovation of a hospital by U.S. and Mongolian military engineers, and a staff exercise will also be conducted in Ulaanbaatar by U.S. forces.

For additional information contact U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar, Ms. Otgon , phone (976-11) 312-376, e-mail Otgony@state.gov, Ms. Tina Puntsag, phone (976-11-312-376), e-mail Tina@state.gov.

Contact info for exercise PA (U.S.), Gunnery Sgt. Robert Knoll , phone: 976-9578-8661, e-mail: robert.knoll@usmc.mil