20th Anniversary of the Democratic Opening in Mongolia

SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
VIDEO MESSAGE ON THE 20^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEMOCRATIC OPENING IN MONGOLIA
RECORDED DECEMBER 8, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC
Greetings on behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate you as you celebrate the 20^thanniversary of Mongolian democracy.

The brave young people who gathered on the streets in those cold December days in 1989, including a young man who would one day be elected as your new President, helped pave the way for Mongolia to become a dynamic and durable democracy. All over the world that year, we saw a flowering of freedom. People stood up and walls came down.

Democracy is never easy – Americans can attest to that. And Mongolia has faced its share of challenges. But through every challenge, the people of Mongolia have pulled together and have risen to the occasion. You have become a model for emerging democracies everywhere. Whenever I visit a country that is struggling to become more democratic, I say what I said when I was in Mongolia: “Let them come to Mongolia!” Because I will never forget my own visit in 1995 -- the sweeping beauty of the steppe, the warmth and hospitality of the Mongolian people, and the aspirations of a nation committed to progress after decades of totalitarian rule.

In the years since, Mongolia has consolidated those early achievements and strengthened your democracy. Today even, Mongolian troops are serving around the world as peacekeepers, helping to bring stability to troubled lands. Mongolians and Americans are fighting side by side in Afghanistan against violent extremists who threaten peace-loving people everywhere. We honor the service and sacrifice of your citizens, and we reaffirm the broad partnership between our two nations that is helping build a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Please accept my best wishes on this historic occasion. And have a wonderful celebration.