Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. The 18th annual Khaan Quest multinational peacekeeping exercise kicked off at the Five Hills Training Area today on June 6. President of Mongolia, Commander-In-Chief of the Mongolian Armed Forces U.Khurelsukh gave opening remarks.

At the start of his remarks, the President noted how Mongolia continues to actively participate in peacekeeping operations as a part of its duties as a UN member, and highlighted that Khaan Quest is one of the joint international exercises regularly organized with the country’s two neighbors as well as other countries such as the U.S., Germany, South Korea, Japan, India, Turkey, and Qatar. He then underlined that Mongolia will always be open to cooperate with other countries by continuing to implement its peaceful foreign policy.

The Mongolian Armed Forces and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has been jointly organizing the Khaan Quest peacekeeping exercise since 2003. It began to be organized as an international joint exercise from 2006. About 1,000 military personnel from 15 countries will be participating in the exercise that will take place until June 17.

During the event, training will also be held on women’s participation in peace and security for the very first time, with aims to increase the role and participation of female military personnel in peacekeeping operations. The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Defense G.Saikhanbayar, Security and Defense Policy Advisor to the President of Mongolia Ts.Togoo, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Mongolia, Lieutenant General D.Ganzorig, Director of Joint Staff for the U.S. Alaska National Guard, Brigadier General Wayne Don, officials of corresponding defense and law enforcement organizations, and foreign Ambassadors, and military attachés.