site.btaIn New York, Foreign Minister Mitov Attends Meeting on Humanitarian Situation in Syria, Confers with Ukrainian, Malaysian Counterparts

In New York, Foreign Minister Mitov Attends Meeting on Humanitarian Situation in Syria,
Confers with Ukrainian, Malaysian Counterparts

New York, September 24 (BTA) - Within the framework of his visit
to New York for the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly,
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov Tuesday took part in a
meeting on the humanitarian situation in Syria and the
neighbouring countries, his Ministry said in a press release on
Wednesday. The meeting was organized by the European Commission,
the UK and Jordan and was presided over by EU International
Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner
Kristalina Georgieva.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session, Mitov
conferred on Friday with the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and
Malaysia, his Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.

Mitov and his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin considered the
situation in Eastern Ukraine, energy security of Eastern and
Central Europe, the prospects for European development and the
possible Bulgarian aid to Ukraine.

Klimkin familiarized his Bulgarian colleague with the
development of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, saying that the
ceasefire signed between the Ukrainian army and the separatists
is on the whole observed. There are opportunities to reach
agreement with Russia on de-escalation of the conflict and on
post-conflict settlement of relations with Ukraine, even though
there is no guarantee that they will be implemented, he pointed
out. According to Klimkin, as a result of the conflict his
country has so far sustained losses equivalent to some 20 per
cent of its GDP, the Foreign Ministry press release reads.

Mitov said that ensuring gas supplies to Bulgaria is crucial for
his country and voiced concern over possible negative effects
of the conflict in Ukraine. For his part, Klimkin said that the
Ukrainian Government is not pessimistic about gas supplies
during the forthcoming country: on the whole, the country has
the required reserves. He does not think that there will be a
problem with the gas transit to third countries, including
Bulgaria, unless Russia lowers pressure in the gas pipeline. The
chief Ukrainian diplomat argued that Europe, including Ukraine,
needs a new common energy and infrastructure policy, which
should be directly linked to the security and stability of the
EU Member States.

At his meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman,
Mitov discussed bilateral consular cooperation, the deepening of
economic contacts and partnership opportunities within the
framework of the EU-ASEAN dialogue, including with regard to the
ASEAN Chairmanship that will rotate to Malaysia in 2015.
Traditional partnership within the UN was also on the agenda of
the talks, and assurances were exchanged of reciprocal support
for the two countries' bids for responsible positions and
offices in the organization.

Mitov raised the question about the trial of Bulgarian nationals
Ivan Kostov and Georgi Bakalov, who were sentenced to death in
the first instance for trafficking 5.6 kg of drugs. The
Bulgarian side expressed the hope that progress will be made on
the exchanged drafts of treaties concerning, among other things,
mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Anifah assured his
counterpart that the Appellate Court of Malaysia, which is
examining the appeal of the sentences, will ensure a just and
fair trial.