site.btaBulgaria to Keep Up to 110 Troops in Afghanistan in 2016

Bulgaria to Keep Up to 110 Troops in Afghanistan in 2016

Brussels, December 2 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Bulgaria will keep a contingent of up to 110 troops in Afghanistan in 2016 with an unchanged numerical strength and location, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov told Bulgarian journalists on Wednesday. He participated in the Meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels on December 1-2.

There are 84 Bulgarian troops in Kabul and Kandahar now and 10 advisors can be sent. Answering a question, Mitov said Bulgaria's annual contribution to the Afghan security forces would remain unchanged at 500,000 US dollars.

Mitov said Bulgaria has been part of the global coalition against ISIL from the outset. Over a year ago Sofia sent the Kurdish fighters in Northern Iraq light weapons. "We remain part of this coalition and will continue to help as well as we can," said Mitov.

He commented that the invitation to Montenegro to start NATO membership negotiations was a triumph of the Open Door policy and a very strong message at a time of major geopolitical dynamics. "The stability of the Western Balkans is of exceptional importance, we are all delighted that Montenegro was invited," he said.

Bulgaria's chief diplomat also said Sofia wants to sign an agreement on goodneighbourly relations with Macedonia. "Clearly, it must be signed; we want to see our neighbours join the EU and NATO as soon as possible. Our wish is to lay good foundations of bilateral relations with this agreement which we have been negotiating too long," said Mitov.

Questioned about the attacks on the websites of Bulgarian institutions and NATO's approval of a new strategy on hybrid warfare, Mitov explained it was impossible to define the nature of the attacks - whether they were targeted and whether they were part of hybrid warfare. "When we have completely clear information which allows us to claim something for certain, we will announce it," he said.