The US President, George W Bush, is flying back to Washington after completing a four-state tour of Asia this morning by becoming the first US president to visit Mongolia.
Mr Bush thanked Mongolia for its support of the US-led war in Iraq, saying that Mongolia's army was 'serving the cause of freedom and US forces are proud to serve beside such fearless warriors'.
Mongolia has about 120 soldiers in Iraq and roughly half that number to bolster international stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan.
Mr Bush also praised the country's post-Soviet era transition to democracy and open-market economic policies, saying the central Asian state was an example of success for the region and the world.
Earlier in his week-long trip, Mr Bush visited Japan, South Korea and China.
