Co-Operation and Partnership on The Balkans - The
Bulgarian Contribution
Mr. Secretary General,
Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me first to avail myself of this opportunity and congratulate
Mr. Robertson with his appointment on that highly responsible position.
I am sure we are all ready to assist him in his efforts to realise
the initiatives and the missions of the Alliance.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to be specific and summarise our lessons from the efforts
of the international community aimed at settlement of the Kosovo crisis
in which Bulgaria took part as well.
- It served as a catalyst for finding a much quicker solution of
the problem.
- Concentrated efforts to provide the necessary conditions to achieve
peace very quickly were required. In that aspect Bulgaria took decisive
steps and gave access to its airspace to NATO airplanes for the
Allied Force operation.
- The Bulgarian Government undertook concrete steps in view of settling
the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the refugee wave to the countries
neighbouring FR. Yugoslavia and more particularly in the Republic
of Macedonia where a military field hospital was deployed and Bulgaria
supported the whole refugee camp in Radusha.
- The Bulgarian Government accentuated and after the crisis was
managed undertook the necessary measures to facilitate the transit
passing of the KFOR troops for the Joint Guardian operation through
the territory of the country. A National Co-ordination Centre was
established with NATO representatives in it. It still functions
and we are ready to provide all the necessary assistance for the
normal functioning of the peace keeping operation.
- At the same time taking into account that the problems in Bosnia
and Herzegovina are an indivisible part of the problems of the region
we continue our participation in SFOR.
- Within the framework of exchange of ideas done up to now on our
level it was taken into account that only the consolidated efforts
of the countries from the Euro Atlantic zone and more particularly
those from the region can result in creating mechanisms for prevention
of eventual future crisis in the region. For Bulgaria, being the
generator of stability it is of utmost importance.
- In that context we welcome the Stability Pact for South Eastern
Europe as one of the most timely and effective mechanisms. The key
to its efficiency is in its practical realisation and co-ordination
of the efforts through infrastructure projects in the field of transportation,
building early warning systems both political as well as defence,
for humanitarian assistance. The essential thing the Pact should
achieve is supporting the active Partner-countries to become an
attractive example to the democratic process in the FR of Yugoslavia
. In this way solutions of the problems with the regime in Belgrade
will be originated.
- The long term settlement of the security problem in the region
is the integration of the countries in it into the European and
Euro Atlantic security structures. A major element in our position
on the Pact is that it should be in compliance with the spirit of
the contents of the NATO strategy and initiatives for SEE.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Everything I mentioned up to now has taken place after our last meeting
in April in Washington. The Washington initiatives for an enhanced
and much more operational partnership and more particularly those
for SEE provided much wider co-operation possibilities in the field
of security and practically contributed to the efforts within the
framework of other organisations and initiatives aiming at establishing
stability and confidence in the region.
The established consultative forum on security issues, the acting
Ad Hoc Group for SEE and the activities within the framework of PfP
supported the undertaken steps for the long term settlement of the
security problems in the region and for the integration of the countries
in it into the European and Euro Atlantic security structures.
Bulgaria being a country from the region contributes to all that.
We made efforts to participate to the maximum extend in the NATO initiative
for SEE. I would like to point out that the countries from the region
undertook a number of activities directed at solving the security
problems on the Balkans and for establishing confidence and security.
The SEDM process is further developed and has its practical dimensions.
Three days ago in Bucharest the Fourth SEDM took place but it will
be Minister Babiuc who will give more details on it. The MPFSEE whose
HQ is in Plovdiv and the intentions to establish an Engineer Formation
and to create a Crisis Information Network are the response of SEE
to the Washington initiatives for SEE. They are also a result of the
need to undertake consolidated measures.
The MPFSEE is also a functioning mechanism for the practical implementation
of the Operational Capabilities Concept. Bulgaria is ready to take
part in the pools of forces by providing its units allocated within
the framework of PfP as well as the Bulgarian components of the MPFSEE.
The training of the forces provided for participation in the MPFSEE
as well as in NATO - lead PfP operations is of fundamental importance
for their efficiency. In that aspect Bulgaria treats the Programme
for enhanced training and education within PfP as an important instrument
for the optimisation and improvement of the training and education
within the framework of Partnership. It ensures the increase of the
capacity of the efforts in the field of training and education more
particularly for achieving interoperability so that the current and
future needs of the enhanced and much more operational partnership
are met.
Next week Sofia will host the Second Annual Conference of PfP Consortium
of Defence Academies and Security Studies Institutes. It is our understanding
that the fact we are hosting this event is a recognition of our efforts
in the field of military education. It is a demonstration of our will
to further develop the military education and training. We expect
that in the course of the conference a great number of initiatives
in the field of education and scientific-research work will be discussed.
We hope that the possibilities for joint research projects and for
the use of systems for remote training and specialisation will be
considered.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Bulgaria in its capacity of a Partner country, aspirant for NATO
membership and located on the Balkans is continuously working to promote
the co-operation both on the Balkans as well as within the framework
of Partnership for Peace. Our joint efforts will contribute to the
stabilisation of the region and its integration into the European
and Euro Atlantic security structures. We welcome the results achieved
within the framework of the enhanced and much more operational partnership
and we fully support the proposed at today's meeting reports.
Thank you.
