Mongolia 's Foreign Policy Guidelines After the Presidential Election of 2017

The main aim of the article is to identify the connection between the results of the presidential election in Mongolia held in 2017 and possible changes in its foreign policy. The research sources in the study are Mongolian laws on foreign policy, the materials of the presidential campaign of 2017, official speeches and documents of President Khaltmaagiin Battulga on foreign policy, statistical data on Mongolia, and experts' evaluation of the Mongolian President's foreign policy activities. Located between Russia and China, Mongolia is the object of close attention not only from its geographic neighbours, but also from non-regional states referred to as "the third neighbour". That is why the foreign policy of Mongolia has traditionally been an important part of its development strategy. One of the main roles in the process of determining Mongolia's foreign policy strategy belongs to the president. Democratic Party candidate Battulga won the 2017 election. All his steps in the field of foreign policy can be divided into three main areas. Firstly, the new president of Mongolia has established himself as a supporter of improving relations with Russia, primarily through the intensification of trade and economic cooperation and active personal diplomacy towards the Russian side. Secondly, Battulga had a difficult time to build cooperation with the southern neighbour of Mongolia for his election campaign was full of criticism of China. Thirdly, Battulga made some correctives in the strategy of relations with "the third neighbour". For example, he rejected an active participation in global international events (e.g., the World Economic Forum in Davos) and was indifferent to the idea of "permanent neutrality" of Mongolia. Perhaps the most serious foreign policy initiative of the new president of Mongolia was the idea of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a permanent member. This idea has caused serious political discussions in the country, dividing the expert network into supporters and opponents of the president's initiative. The authors believe that despite certain changes in Mongolia's foreign policy under President Battulga, it is difficult to talk about a radical turn in the foreign policy strategy. Due to political and legal reasons, as well as the external conditions of social and economic development of Mongolia, the president is not able to change the main foundations and principles of foreign policy of the state formed in the post-socialist period.

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