site.btaBulgaria, US Sign Key documents on 5G Security, Civil Nuclear Power

Sofia, October 23 (BTA) - Bulgaria and the US signed key
documents on 5G networks security and civil nuclear power here
on Friday, the Government Information Service said in a press
release. 

The signing took place in the presence of Bulgarian Prime
Minister Boyko Borissov, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
joined via video conference.

5G Security Memorandum

Bulgarian Transport, Information Technology and Communications
Minister Rossen Jeliazkov and visiting US Under Secretary of
State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith J.
Krach signed a Joint Statement on 5G Networks Security between
Bulgaria and the US. "By the exchange of data that are protected
 in line with our shared principles and values, we guarantee
that the new prosperity and well-being infrastructure will
accomplish its mission," Jeliazkov said.

Pompeo stressed the excellently done shared job for the
preparation of building the 5G networks and expressed his
conviction that the signing of the joint statement will
guarantee the comprehensive security of the Euro-Atlantic
family.

In the Secretary of State's words, protected 5G technology
networks will enable all interested partners to be trained to
work in a way ensuring secure networks not only for Bulgaria but
 for all EU and NATO member states.

Earlier in the day, Krach told journalists at the Residence of
US Ambassador Herro Mustafa that the Joint Statement will
guarantee a Clean Network that is vital to national security,
economic prosperity and stability in the region. In addition to
5G, the Clean Network covers everything, from electricity grids
to self-driving cars, cloud services, etc. It addresses data
privacy issues comprehensively. The network needs to be trusted,
 and new investors can be attracted in this way, the Under
Secretary of State pointed out. The US Embassy said on Facebook
that by signing the document, Bulgaria joins the Clean Network -
 a growing coalition of countries and companies committed to
protecting their 5G networks from untrusted vendors.

The Joint Statement on 5G Security follows up on talks held by
Borissov with US President Donald Trump in November 2019. The
next step was taken when the two countries held a Strategic
Dialogue in early 2020. By the Joint Statement, Bulgaria is
taking an important step towards building a national capacity
and measures against cyber threats on a global scale.

Civil Nuclear Power Cooperation

Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova and US Assistant
Secretary of State for International Security and
Nonproliferation Christopher A. Ford signed a Memorandum of
Understanding between the two countries' governments on
strategic cooperation in civil nuclear power.

"The US is an important strategic partner of Bulgaria in the
energy sector," Prime Minister Borissov pointed out during talks
 with Krach earlier on Friday. In this context, the US proposed
the signing of such a memorandum in June 2020. "Promoting this
partnership is yet another key element in the switch to a
low-carbon economy," the Prime Minister said.

The Bulgarian head of government and the senior US diplomat
concurred that 5G will turn into a connectivity infrastructure
that will be key to all public sectors, including eHealth,
intelligent energy systems, transport and mobility.

In the context of the accelerated progress of the European Green
 Deal, targeting EU climate neutrality by 2050, the PM noted
that nuclear power is one of the greener and cleaner energies
and pointed to Bulgaria's desire to use a safer,
later-generation technology and to achieve nuclear fuel
diversification. The European Green Deal cannot be implemented
without peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the press release said.
 As far as Bulgaria is concerned, nuclear power plays an
important role for national, regional and European energy
security.

Petkova said that the civil nuclear energy memorandum will give
a fresh impetus and provide a solid foundation for future
bilateral energy cooperation. "The document will also contribute
 to achieving diversification of energy sources, which is our
key priority.

Dr Ford pointed out that the US and Bulgaria are strong partners
 and allies and pursue cooperation for their security and the
good of the Alliance. He described Bulgaria as a fantastic
partner and stressed the importance of the two countries'
strategic partnership for national energy security and energy
source diversification. The US diplomat appreciated all efforts
that Bulgaria is making to diversify supplies.

The Memorandum will promote bilateral cooperation in line with
Bulgaria's interest in new secure civil nuclear power
technologies that are developed by the US. In the document, the
two countries express their desire to interact in support of
their nuclear power industries for the future development and
maintenance of the infrastructure and human resource capacity
for responsible use of nuclear power and technologies.

Borissov said that as of today's date, Bulgaria already has
genuine diversification of natural gas as a strategic input. He
cited the swift purchase of a 20 per cent shareholding in the
liquefied natural gas terminal at Alexandroupolis and the
construction at a full swing of the Greece-Bulgaria gas
interconnector. The PM said that thanks to the best reverse-flow
 compressor station, this country has managed to change the
direction of gas import from East-West to South-North.

Borissov-Krach Talks

Conferring here earlier on Friday, Borissov and Krach welcomed
the ever more vigorous political dialogue between their
countries as a result of the strategic partnership.

That was the third session of talks between the two this year
alone, which comes as an expression of the enhanced Bulgarian-US
 cooperation after Borissov's visit to Washington, D.C., in
November 2019, the press release notes.

Priority areas of the strategic partnership, such as deepening
trade and economic cooperation and bolstering bilateral
relations in the security of 5G wireless communication networks,
 topped the agenda of Friday's meeting.

The discussion also focused on cooperation in security and
defence, which are among the essential dimensions of the
bilateral relationship. "The acquisition of F-16 Block 70
fighters is an important step forward in the modernization of
the Bulgarian Air Force," the PM stressed. He was categorical
that the Air Force modernization projects will also create
conditions for industrial cooperation, which will contribute to
Bulgaria's long-term development and competitiveness.

Asked whether the sanctions against investors in TurkStream will
 affect Bulgaria, Krach said that almost all countries involved
in that project depend on Russia. He added that all countries of
 the Three Seas Initiative with the exception of Austria are
dependent on Russia. NV/LG