For a long time it had been the intention of the Government of the Mongolian People's Republic to protect these areas and a formal decision to this effect was taken in 1975. On the ground, measures have already been put in hand to prevent or limit human disturbance and to initiate detailed negotiations with the local people, to gain their acceptance of the establishment of protected areas. In addition to this, the Mongolian authorities contacted international organizations, particularly FAO, IUCN and UNEP, with a view to securing technical and financial assistance from international sources to enable them to implement their conservation programme in the Gobi. As a result of these contacts, an invitation was extended by Government which resulted in the organization of the joint mission which visited Mongolia during May-June 1976.