site.btaBulgaria Vows to Spare no Effort to Step Up EU-Japan Negotiating Process

BSofia, January 14 (BTA) - Emerging from a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sofia on Sunday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that his country, while holding the EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2018, will spare no effort to speed up the negotiations between the EU and Japan and see them completed. "This is very important for business in Bulgaria," Borissov said.

Abe is the first Japanese head of government to visit this country. He is accompanied by a large business delegation including representatives of over 30 Japanese companies.

Abe called for stronger economic relations between the two countries. He said that, with the approval of the Bulgarian Prime Minister and after consulting the Japanese business delegation accompanying him, it was decided to launch a Japanese business forum which will hopefully pave the way for further Japanese economic expansion into Bulgaria.

Sofia and Tokyo will also set up a joint executive committee for cooperation in culture, science and technology.

Borissov said a business-to-business meeting earlier in the day discussed opportunities for bilateral coopearation in electronics, the automotive industry, tourism, culture and agriculture. He thanked the Japanese government for the grants provided to Bulgaria since the 1990s. He extended greetings to Emperor Akihito of Japan and assured Prime Minister Abe of the very warm feelings of the Bulgarian people for the Japanese people.

For his part, Abe expressed hope that this first visit by a Japanese prime minister to Bulgaria will add impetus to bilateral relations and lead to deeper ties in politics, the economy, culture and sports.

The guest said Japan wants to see Europe united, and welcomed Bulgaria's efforts, through the EU Council Presidency, to promote the European integration of the Western Balkans.

He said that Japan is focused on the stability of the Western Balkans and that he is bringing during this visit an initiative for cooperation in the Western Balkans. He expressed hope that thanks to the cooperation with Bulgaria his country's contacts will continue with the entire region.

Prime Minister Borissov noted that in addition to the EU Presidency which Bulgaria holds in the first half of 2018, the 16+1 initiative for cooperation between the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and China will be holding its summit meeting in Bulgaria this year.

"The Saudi Crown Prince is also interested in a meeting on the Western Balkans in Bulgaria. And I am convinced that today, together with the Japanese Prime Minister and the powerful corporations whose leaders are in Sofia now, and with the Bulgarian expertise on the matter, we will propose grants and other options to support the construction of large infrastructure projects and investments in Bulgaria and the rest of the Balkans," said Borissov.

Prime Minister Abe said that Borissov and himself agree about the importance of close cooperation in respect to the Korean issue and fast solution to the problem with the abductions of Japanese citizens.

Prime Minister Borissov said: "We categorically condemn the launching by North Korea of ballistic missiles and its nuclear programme. We believe firmly that all problems should be resolved on the negotiating table."

On Monday, the last day of his official two-day visit to Sofia, Shinzo Abe is meeting with President Rumen Radev.