site.btaDefence Ministers of Bulgaria and Romania Discuss Regional Security

Defence Ministers of Bulgaria and Romania Discuss Regional Security

Brussels, June 14 (BTA special correspondent Assen Boyadjiev) - Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev told the press here Tuesday that Bulgaria could participate with some 400 personnel in exercises under the initiative for a multinational NATO framework brigade in Romania. Nenchev was speaking after meeting with his Romanian counterpart Mihnea Motok on the sidelines of a meeting of the NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels.

Decisions on a tailored NATO presence for the south-east region, to use the words of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, with a land element built around a multinational framework brigade in Romania, are expected to be made at the NATO Summit next month.

"We are currently discussing this issue. We could potentially participate with some 400 personnel in training on a rotation principle," Nenchev said.

He said that Bulgaria has not been asked to commit armed forces in connection with plans for deployment by rotation of four multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

The Bulgarian Defence Minister said that his Romanian counterpart and himself are now sure that a stronger NATO presence is necessary in the Black Sea region. "We have a common concept and will likely raise this issue together at the Warsaw Summit," he said adding that Bulgaria and Romania are working on a common stand on the matter.

The ongoing Defence Ministers meeting is the last in this format ahead of the NATO Summit in Warsaw next month, and is therefore the final stage of its preparation.