Speaking out:
Ambassador Khaliun: Mongolia’s octocentenary
Next month, Mongolia will be celebrating the 800th anniversary of the unified Mongolian state created by Chinggis Khaan in 1206. Here, Mongolia’s Ambassador to Ankara, Panidjunai Khaliun, explains the background to this occasion and describes the planned festivities. We also asked him to comment on Mongolia’s relations with Turkey and with its larger neighbours.
This year, we Mongolians are fortunate and proud to have the chance to celebrate an auspicious event in history: the 800th anniversary of the unified Mongolian State. A National Committee headed by the Prime Minister is organizing activities throughout the year. All ministries, non-governmental organizations and economic entities are actively involved. The climax will come during the National Day celebrations (“Naadam”) on 11-13 July, which will be attended by high dignitaries from other countries. The three manly games - namely the national wrestling competition, horse-racing and archery - will be staged, and there will be a major cultural festival with international performances. In Ulaanbaatar city, a Chinggis Khaan ceremonial palace will be erected, and a museum will be built in the Great Khan’s birthplace. New documentaries and a feature film about Chinggis Khaan, his descendants and Mongol warriors will be broadcast to the public.
Historical roots
Mongolia’s history as a state goes back to the end of the Third Century B.C., when the Hunnu State was first formed. But in 53 A.D. the Hunnu State disintegrated into the South and North. The Northern Hunnu State became strong during the reign of Attila Khan in around 445 A.D. Although the Southern Hunnu State was subordinated by the Chinese, its people regained their independence following an uprising in the First Century, and retained it until the Tenth Century.
Until the end of the Twelfth Century, the Mongols as a nation were weak, fragmented into small fieldoms that continuously fought each other. Historical records show that at the age of 15, Chinggis Khaan was already resolved to put things in order. Many well-known scholars around the world have attested to his superior organizational skills and effective military tactics. In almost every battle, he would come out victorious, although outnumbered 5-10 times.
The Mongol warriors of that era were men of strict discipline and extreme loyalty. They were organised into groups of ten warriors. Each ten was divided into threes, who were headed by one senior officer. Mongolia’s economic and political situation and its military organization resulted in a military state, and Chinggis Khaan struggled to create a World empire with a supreme ruler.
Chinggis Khan the statesman
But the Mongols in history were not merely a warlike people. On the basis of historical documents, historians and researchers have come up with different interpretations of the so-called atrocities perpetrated by Chinggis Khaan and his warriors. He emerges as a charismatic personality who treated his followers justly and paid great attention to cultivating the loyalty of his followers. He promoted his followers largely according to their loyalty and ability, but he was ruthless in suppressing disloyalty.
After defeating his enemies, Chinggis Khaan freed the people from his enemies’ tyrannical rule and set up new governments. Since its establishment 800 years ago, Chinggis Khaan and his successors, Ugudei, Guyug, Munkh and Khubilai Khans, made the Great Mongol State the world’s greatest empire in history.
In his statecraft, Chinggis Khaan constantly emphasised three main ideas - justice, equal rights, and unity. Soon after the Great Mongol State was established in 1206, he declared the Great Yasa, the State law of the nomadic civilization, which has been much admired since. He developed diplomatic relations and created and developed free trade and a postal service. Important decisions on matters of state were taken jointly. In contrast with many other empires, the Mongol empire tolerated all religious beliefs and practices, and many religions coexisted in one state. For these reasons, Chinggis Khaan has been described as “the Man of the Millennium”.
Mongolia also has more recent achievements to cooperate. At the beginning of the 18th Century, the Mongolian people came under Manchurian rule for over 200 years. The Mongolian people’s national liberation movement had its first victory in 1911, and on July 11, 1921 the People’s Revolution triumphed, and a new era of prosperity for Mongolia began. On November 26, 1924 Mongolia declared its independence. Many young Mongolian fighters engraved their names in the pages of modern history during this fight for freedom and independence. Among them were noblemen, government officials, military personnel, and common people alike. To this day, Mongolian people recognize and respect these modern heroes. Throughout all this we have remained a hospitable people. Separated by tens of kilometres from each other, Mongols in the countryside still have a custom of leaving their dwellings open with some food available for any traveller who wants to stop and take a rest.
Mongolia in transition
For more than seven decades, my country developed along the socialist path. During that time we had both accomplishments and mistakes. While Mongolia’s economy had been solely based on animal husbandry, it was able to develop agriculture, light industry, transportation, communications and construction. A great deal was accomplished in the areas of health, culture and education.
At the beginning of the 1990s, a democratic revolution triumphed. The country made a transition to democracy and the market economy. A specific feature of the democratic revolution lies in the fact that it was bloodless. Mongolia was the first to make such a transition among the socialist countries of Asia.
But the process of transition does not come easily. In the blink of an eye we lost all our traditional partners. The new Mongolia was faced with the task of building relations with new countries. Between 1990 and 1994, the income of the population plummeted, unemployment increased and living conditions worsened. However, with the assistance of Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Germany, Turkey and other countries, Mongolia has been overcoming those difficulties. In 2004, the economy grew by 10.6% compared to only 4% in 2002 and 5.5% in 2003. Since 2000, inflation has fallen to 8.1%.
Mongolia’s GDP is comprised as follows: agriculture – 20%; industry – 22%, construction, transport and communications - 17.5%, trade and services – 40%. Mongolia’s livestock population of more than 30 million has been privatized. That is the main self-reproductive wealth resource of the Mongolians. In the bowels of the earth are to be found other immense riches. Significant deposits of gold, copper, zinc, uranium and coal attract foreign investment. Today, the mining sector makes up 17% of the country’s GDP and 64% of industrial output.
Mongolia is highly gratified with the level of its relations with its two neighbours, the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. For all the ups and downs in the relations with these major powers in the past, Mongolia is looking to the future with optimism. Meetings at the highest levels have become a regular phenomenon. Interaction in the economic, cultural and other spheres is picking up speed. China has become Mongolia’s largest trading partner. The issue of “big” debt with the Russian Federation has been resolved in an amicable manner bearing in mind decades-long relations of friendship and cooperation. Our trade turn-over with Russia is reaching new highs.
Mongolia and Turkey
Centuries of historical ties and similarities in customs, traditions and historical and cultural backgrounds constitute the mainstay of today’s brotherly relations between Mongolia and Turkey. Mongols and Tureg (Turkish) speaking tribes shared a common border for hundreds of years, leaving strong imprints in the history, culture, customs and traditions of the two countries. For instance, the modern Mongolian and Turkish languages share more than 400 words similar in meaning, and over 3,000 words with the same root. Not far from the ancient capital city of Karakorum in the Orkhon valley stand the monuments of Bilge Khan and Chieftain Gultegin - a rare and priceless proof of the historic contacts between our two countries.
Since the 1990s, Mongolian-Turkish relations and cooperation have expanded into many new fields. High-level visits between the two countries have played a decisive role. After the first visit of H.E. Suleyman Demirel, President of Turkey to Mongolia in 1995, Mongolian boys and girls received scholarships to Turkish higher educational establishments. Last year, during his visit to Mongolia, the Turkish Prime Minister R.T. Erdogan increased the students’ quota twofold. Currently around 700 young people from Mongolia are studying in Turkey either privately or under inter-governmental agreements. This means that the future generation is on their way to continue and further develop the brotherly relations between the two countries. The President of Mongolia and the Speaker of the Parliament have also visited Turkey several times and concluded a number of basic bilateral legal documents.
In the international arena, the two countries are working closely – for instance, in supporting each other for the non-permanent seat of the United Nations Security Council for the years 2008-2010. However, in order to raise the cooperation between the two countries to a new level and reach a comprehensive partnership, it is imperative first and foremost to expand economic and trade relations. We invite Turkish business people to come to Mongolia and explore the possibilities for investment in the utilization of our natural resources, in exporting products to regional markets, in establishing small and medium enterprises, and in infrastructure and construction.
Celebrations
The celebrations of the 800th Anniversary of Mongolian Statehood have become the centre of attention not only of Mongolia, but of all countries that are historically related to the Mongols. The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for the anniversary to be celebrated worldwide. Turkey, our brother country, was one of the most active co-authors of this resolution.
Of course we will be celebrating in Turkey too. Together with the Sabanci Museum, we will be presenting a large exhibition of rare and antique items named “Chinggis Khaan and his legacy” to the Istanbul public as of November. In Ankara exhibitions of paintings and photographs of Mongolia will be organized. The Mongolian fiction movie about Chinggis Khaan will be broadcast on TV in Turkish. Books about Mongolia, including the ancient “Secret History of the Mongols”, are to be printed in Turkish. Preparations are under way to open a “Chinggis Khaan Park” in Ankara, and the Great Khan’s name is to be given to streets in Istanbul and Izmir. Mongolian cultural events will be organized in several Turkish cities and a Turkish cultural group will also perform in Mongolia.