Mongolia’s Foreign Policy Implementation: A Case Study in the Middle East

Abstract

Summary The purpose of this article is to clarify Mongolia's foreign policy challenges and trends by studying the historical and current processes of Mongolia in relation to the Middle East in chronological order, using both primary and secondary sources. Relations between Mongolia and the countries of the Middle East can be chronologically divided into three different periods: the State of the Huns (Xiongnu), the Mongol Empire, and Modern Mongolia. The state of the Huns, at the peak of its power, successfully developed relations with the countries of the Middle East through the “Great Silk Road”. The Mongol Empire, including the Ilkhanate, the Golden Horde, the Chagatai Khanate, and the Yuan Dynasty made a significant contribution to the development of mankind and pioneered globalization processes within the concept of Pax Mongolica. In addition, it is clear that the Mongols and Muslims together played an important role in the development of the world during this period. The Mongols fell under the rule of the Manchu in 1691 and were close to extinction. However, in 1946, they restored the independence of Mongolia. During this period, there was no relationship between Mongolia and the Middle East. And with the accession of the Mongolian People's Republic to the UN in 1961, its foreign policy relations crossed to a new level. However, its political position was one-sided and stated that “Mongolia would develop relations with socialist-oriented countries” and it included Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Democratic Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Libya. During the 1990s, Mongolia's internal and external environment changed dramatically and it had moved to a democratic political system and market economy. And Mongolia determined the main guiding principle of foreign policy as “multi-based”. According to Mongolia's first foreign policy concept of 1994, its foreign policy towards the Middle East has been successfully implementing not only through bilateral relations but also through multilateral relations within international organizations and movements such as the United Nations, the Group of 77, and the Non-Aligned Movement. The renewed Mongolia Foreign Policy Concept of 2011 is aimed at establishing and expanding partnerships and cooperation with countries of the West and East, such as the United States, Japan, the European Union, India, the Republic of Korea, and Turkey within the framework of the “third neighbor” policy. One of the key motivations for Turkey as a third neighbor should be a historical link that binds the two peoples together as descendants of similar cultural heritage. In the near future, it is obvious that we will increase the number of our third neighbors with countries such as Kuwait, Israel, Iran from the Middle East.