site.btaForeign Minister Zaharieva Attends 56th Munich Security Conference

February 15 (BTA) - At the sidelines of the 56th Munich Security Conference, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva conferred with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, Zaharieva's Ministry said in a press release. The situation in the Middle East topped the agenda of the meeting.

Zaharieva confirmed Bulgaria's position that negotiations are the only way for a fair and lasting solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The two officials discussed various aspects of the Middle East peace plan of US President Donald Trump and reviewed the hot spots in the regon.

The two also discussed the visit to Bulgaria of Jordanian King Abdullah II for the next meeting of the Aqaba Process on May 27 and 28 which will be held in Sofia.

Zaharieva also conferred with US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Rene Clarke Cooper. The meeting was requested by the US side and discussed follow-up actions after the first session of the Bulgaria-US strategic dialogue held in Sofia in January.

Zaharieva again raised the issue of Bulgaria's possible inclusion in the visa waiver programme, noting that this will boost the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and the contacts between the people. Zaharieva said she was looking forward to the visit in Sofia in March of US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl C. Risch.

Zaharieva also presented Bulgaria's progress in the preparations to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the defence priorities in the ten-year road map 2020-2030 agreed during the first session of the strategic dialogue between Bulgaria and the US, and spoke about cyber-security issues. RI/ZH//