U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD H. RUMSFELD PRAISED MONGOLIA'S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING AND SAID THE TWO COUNTRIES' MILITARIES WOULD JOIN IN COMING MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES. MONGOLIA IS A STRONG U.S. ALLY IN A REGION LONG DOMINATED BY RUSSIA AND CHINA, AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN AND THE U.S.-LED COALITION IN IRAQ. "MONGOLIA'S PEACEKEEPING IS IMPORTANT AND APPRECIATED,» RUMSFELD SAID ON SUNDAY FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH MONGOLIAN DEFENSE MINISTER MISHIG SONOMPIL ON THE FRINGES OF A REGIONAL SECURITY CONFERENCE IN SINGAPORE. RUMSFELD SAID THE COMING EXERCISES WERE CALLED «CONQUEST,» BUT GAVE NO DETAILS, ACCORDING TO A REPORT OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
