Mongolia names new cabinet

Mongolia named all but one of the members of a new cabinet during a pre-dawn vote on Saturday, offering a short-term solution to a crisis prompted when parliament ousted a coalition government this month.
The new cabinet formed by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), which ran Mongolia as a Soviet satellite for much of the 20th century, includes three dissident members of the Democratic Party and representatives from three smaller parties.
Ten cabinet members, including Prime Minister Enkhbold who was elected Thursday, are from the MPRP.
"The state's Great Hural has appointed cabinet members. Only one candidate did not receive enough votes to be nominated," the government press office said in a statement, adding another vote would be scheduled next week.
A series of protests has been held in Ulan Bator since the MPRP pulled out of a coalition headed by the Democratic Party, dissolving the government of Prime Minister Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, a Democrat.
The MPRP cited a slowdown in economic growth and rise in inflation as reasons for its withdrawal from the last government, while the Democrats charge the MPRP with destabilising the government to block anti-corruption investigations.
The Democratic Party and smaller Civil Courage party had vowed not to take part in any MPRP-organised government, and to dismiss any members that did.
Much of Mongolia will now close for two weeks to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but more protests are expected in the spring.
Democrat Enkhsaikhan, a former Prime Minister, is deputy Prime Minister of the new cabinet, while another former Prime Minister, fellow Democrat Narantsatsralt, is minister of construction and city planning. Republican Party member Jargalsaikhan is minister of industry and trade, which oversees the important mining sector.
Mongolia has had four governments in the four years since the Democrats were last in power, between 1996 and 2000. Since its first free elections in 1990, it has been one of the most stable states in Central Asia, and has supported the US in the Iraq war as part of its "Third Neighbour" policy.