site.btaBulgarian President Calls on Europe and Asia to Unite around Shared Vision of the Future

Bulgarian President Calls on Europe and Asia to Unite around Shared Vision of the Future

Ulaanbaatar, July 15 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Friday that Europe and Asia should unite around a shared long-term vision of the future, the President's Press Secretariat reported. He said: "Europe and Asia have achieved quite a lot together. Over the last 10 years we have managed to double the volume of our two-way trade, but in order to deepen our partnership, we need even stronger ties between our two continents at all levels: governments, businesses and people-to-people."

Plevneliev was speaking at the 11th summit of heads of state and government of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which opened on Friday.

He further stated: "Twenty years ago, both sides supported the idea of greater closeness between Europe and Asia because we realized that peace and stability could only be established through cooperation. Nowadays, the format of regional dialogue includes 53 partners representing 60 per cent of the world's population and over 60 per cent of global trade. Our actions are changing the world and we hope they are helping to make it safer and more prosperous."

The President stressed that during the Bulgarian EU Presidency in 2018 his country will lay emphasis on organizing meetings of ASEM ministers of culture, economy and finance. "Globalization and modern technology connect our regions more than ever before. By promoting connectivity further, we will bring our countries and peoples even closer together," he said.

He noted that with its gateway location in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria will remain a regional transit point for goods and services from Asia to the common European market. "We are aware how important it is to improve our connectivity and upgrade our infrastructure. This is not just about transport links by land, sea and air, but also about digital infrastructure," he said.

Plevneliev underscored that Bulgaria is a leading country in Southeastern Europe in promoting innovation and building innovation ecosystems.

He also told the ASEM meeting that Bulgaria will continue to implement a balanced foreign policy and reinforce its status as an island of stability and a model of tolerant coexistence of various ethnic and religious groups despite the numerous crises in the world. /VI/VE
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