site.btaForeign Ministers Mitov, Steinmeier Meet

Foreign Ministers Mitov, Steinmeier Meet

Berlin, April 13 (BTA) - During his official visit to Berlin, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov met with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said.

The two chief diplomats discussed bilateral relations, the migrant crisis, EU-Turkey relations, energy matters, the situation in Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa, the fight against the Islamic State, and the current situation in the countries of the Western Balkans.

Mitov said the international community should focus its efforts on eliminating the root causes of the unprecedented migrant flow and on countering the Islamic State's actions in Syria and Iraq, which threaten to spill over into the neighbouring countries with unforeseeable consequences for migration pressure.

Mitov assured Steinmeier that Bulgaria actively and consistently supports the process of EU enlargement, and in this context hails the stepping up of EU-Turkey dialogue at all levels. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister stressed once again that Turkey is an important EU partner in a number of international issues, including migration. Sofia considers the agreement with Turkey reached at the March 17-18 EU Summit as a major step towards finding a lasting solution.

Energy security was also high on the agenda. Bulgaria supports the establishment of the European Energy Union and joint action towards energy independence.

The two foreign ministers also discussed the sanctions on Russia. Bulgaria views them as an effective instrument for changing Moscow's policy, not as a punishment against Russia, said Mitov. He explained that his country relies on the Normandy Four to give impetus to the settlement of the crisis in Eastern Ukraine and to ensure that the
deadline for full implementation of the Minsk agreements, extended into 2016, is met.

During his visit, Mitov also held meetings with Uwe Corsepius, chief advisor on European affairs to Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Bulgaria's chief diplomat participated in the marking of the 20th anniversary of the German-Bulgarian Forum and offered special thanks to its Chairman, Gernot Erler.