Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj is in Washington for a meeting later Thursday with U.S. President Barack Obama.

Mr. Elbegdorj, who has been traveling in the United States since Monday, was expected to receive a warm welcome in Washington, where his country is seen as a model for democratic reform in his region. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell visited Mongolia earlier this month, and future visits are planned by Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In an article in a Washington newspaper Wednesday, Mr. Elbegdorj said the goal of his visit is to deepen and broaden U.S. Mongolian ties. He said he is seeking increased U.S. investment, especially in the mining sector where new discoveries of coal, copper and rare earths have the potential to triple Mongolia's GDP over the next decade.

Elbegdorj said he would also like to foster more exchanges between educators and members of the think tank community.