site.btaForeign Minister Zaharieva Meets Counterparts of Oman, India, Ghana and Tajikistan in New York

September 24 (BTA) - On the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly Session which is underway in New York,
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva met with the top
diplomats of Oman, India,
Ghana and Tajikistan on Monday. Details of the meetings were
made public by her Ministry.

The opportunities for joined projects in agriculture, tourism,
the energy sector, infrastructure, culture and education were
discussed by Zaharieva with the Foreign Minister of Oman, Yusuf
bin Alawi bin Abdullah. She said that it is time to further
encourage bilateral relations as the two countries have no open
issues between them.

The two sides have prepared a bilateral agreement on visa waiver
 for the short-term stay for the holders of diplomatic, special
and official passports and a memorandum of understanding for
consultations between the two Foreign Ministries, and these can
be signed during a visit by any of the two Foreign Ministers to
the other country.

In a wide-ranging conversation, the two Ministers discussed also
 the situation in the Gulf and measures against climate change.

They exchanged invitations for visits.

Meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar,
Zaharieva said that there are no open issues but only
opportunities for the two countries and their business people.
The Indian top diplomat thanked Bulgaria for its support for
India in the EU and said he would be happy to visit Bulgaria or
be visited by Minister Zaharieva. 

He also said that India is seeking in Europe partnerships in the
 area of the economy  and life sciences.

Service centres in fifteen Indian cities are about to start
issuing  Bulgarian visas, which will facilitate considerably
contacts between businesses and people.

Zaharieva assured her counterpart that Bulgaria is supportive of
 a peaceful solution for the issues between India and Pakistan:
"on a bilateral basis, through constructive talks and much
wisdom".
 
Zaharieva told Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional
 Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey that she would be glad to
visit Ghana with a business delegation within her forthcoming
tour in Africa and to investigate the opportunities for
Bulgarian investments.

Botchwey responded that Bulgarian business is welcome to invest
in Ghana and presented the conditions her government has created
 for foreign companies. In her opinion, the two countries have
laid a good political foundation to be further materialized in
practical results.

The sides were adamant that dialogue on political level should
be promoted.

Zaharieva said that there is an opportunity for Ghanaian
students to study at Bulgarian universities. A considerable
number of students from Africa have graduated from Bulgarian
universities and now hold respected positions in their home
countries, she pointed out.

Zaharieva discussed with her counterpart of Tajikistan,
Sirojiddin Muhriddin, ways to strengthen further bilateral
relations, which have been traditionally good.
  
Zaharieva recalled that in 2008 the two sides approved an
agreement on economic cooperation and in 2016 another one on
international road transport but both documents have not yet
been signed. She said the two countries should make sure they
are finalized.

Muhriddin said that relations in culture and education need to
be strengthened as well. "We understand your language," he said.
 
 
Tajikistan also relies on closer ties with Bulgaria and the EU
in the area of security and said protecting his country's border
 with Afghanistan is the biggest challenge they face.

Minister Muhriddin invited his Bulgarian counterpart to visit
his country.
 
Bilateral trade stood at 338,000 US dollars in 2018 after
dropping by 61.7 per cent from 2017. Bulgaria runs a surplus in
two-way trade. The Bulgarian export is dominated by medicines
(40.3 per cent).

In the past year, Tajikistan has launched a reform in its
industrial sector, including machine building, electrical
engineering, the energy industry and the processing industry,
and Bulgarian businesses can participate with their experience,
the Foreign Ministry said.  LN/BR/RY


/СН/