Meeting of the Euro- Atlantic Partnership Council in Defence Ministers Session Brussels, 13 June 1997

Address of Mr. Gueorgui Ananiev Defence Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria on Political Exchange on Security Issues

Mr. Secretary General, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for the invitation extended me to attend the first meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council together with all Ministers of Defence of the NATO states and Partner countries. For us, Bulgarians, this meeting is a strong political and moral incentive. I shall avail myself of this opportunity to point out some of the main aspects of Bulgaria's stand concerning the process of developing the European security architecture. Security in Europe can be built only on the principles of integration and co-operation. This is the foundation upon which we, together, established the North-Atlantic Partnership Council (NACC) that played its positive part in strengthening confidence, in developing relations between former adversaries, and in establishing unique mechanisms for practical interaction on Euro-Atlantic security and stability issues, such as the Partnership for Peace. Bulgaria supports the creation of a qualitatively new mechanism for consultation and co-operation, such as the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). It is a logical continuation of the disintegration of stereotypes imposed by the past. We expect that it will promote the process of co-operative identification of new risks and finding of common approaches to face them. We see the EAPC as a dynamically developing concept and an essential element of the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. At the same time the EAPC cannot be considered a substitute of NATO membership. The enhanced Partnership and the other programmes, as future developed forms of intensified dialogue and practical co-operation, should be the main instruments of the adaptation for membership. Since the beginning of 1997, the Republic of Bulgaria started a new phase of crucial reforms in its political and economic transition towards democracy and a market economy, which have found a broad public support in the country and abroad. The last elections results proved that the political transformation in Bulgaria is completed. The Government possesses the political will and it developed a strategy that has enjoyed an absolute Parliamentary support. As early as its second session on 8 May 1997, the newly elected National Assembly adopted a Declaration of National Consensus supported by all political powers represented in the Assembly, which clearly stated the political will to carry through the reforms as well as Bulgaria's foreign policy course towards NATO membership. The reforms that we are implementing today include the Bulgarian Army as well, and one of the most important elements of the economy, i.e. the defence industry. We have been planning these reforms with a view to our future contribution to collective defence. We expect that Bulgaria will be considered as a reliable ally by NATO in the context of the regional security in the Balkans. We hope that the Madrid Summit will make an explicit political statement with regard to Bulgaria. Our country meets the basic criteria for membership - adherence to common values, functioning democracy, stable Parliamentary majority, market economy, respect of human rights, democratic control of the armed forces, good-neighbourly relations, commitment to the overall security. Bulgaria is ready, as a member state, to further the principles of the Washington Treaty. Bulgaria is not a consumer but a generator of security. Bulgaria demonstrated its firm resolve during the crisis in former Yugoslavia and maintained its solidarity with the efforts of the Euro-Atlantic community. The losses from the implementation of the UN-mandated sanctions are commensurable with 3-year payments on our foreign debt. This makes us think that we have paid our share in the settlement of the Yugo-crisis. The regional instability in the Balkans is not an obstacle for Bulgaria to view its neighbours as well-intentioned partners, it seeks to launch and implement regional initiatives that meet the regional interests to the highest extent possible. To this end, a significant place is given to the efforts to organise a Defence Ministerial of South-Eastern Europe. The Madrid decision will be motivated by geo-political considerations of stability and security in Europe and what is very important, when making this decision, is that new realities should reflect equally the states of both Central and South-Eastern Europe. Today everybody recognises the importance of South-Eastern Europe for security in the foreseeable future. The significance of Bulgaria's location in the region can be seen by just one glance at the map. To the south, we are neighbouring two member states of the Alliance, and together we constitute a genuine integrated security area. The decision for NATO enlargement should take into account these geo-political and strategic realities and Bulgaria should be a part of this regional approach. The reverse would not only disrupt one coherent security area, but it would also doom those excluded to be exposed to the effects of anti-integration processes with unpredictable consequences. NATO enlargement is a support to democracy and market economy, it is a demonstration of political solidarity and shared will for unification. This process should be continuous and this should be clearly declared before all states concerned, Bulgaria included. The road is marked and it has to be covered. Thank you for your attention!