Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Germany and Mongolia agreed Friday on a comprehensive military partnership during a state visit by German President Horst Koehler to the Asian country.

Both countries said they want to collaborate in the future on UN peacekeeping missions and agreed to regular meetings between their governments.

Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar said there would be a "new level" of relations with Germany that would further foster Mongolian-German cooperation.

Germany's government is also interested in investing in Mongolia's mining sector and sent a delegation there last month.

Mongolia with a population of 2.6 million is sandwiched between Russia and China and has large reserves of raw materials, such as copper, gold, uranium and coal.

Germany's president is to travel next to China, where he is to take part in the opening of the Paralympics, the Olympic games for athletes with disabilities. dpa