site.btaNATO Assistant Secretary General Ducaru Holds Talks in Sofia

NATO Assistant Secretary General Ducaru Holds Talks in Sofia


Sofia, November 13 (BTA) - Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay
Nenchev met with Sorin Ducaru, NATO's Assistant Secretary
General for Emerging Security Challenges, in Sofia on Thursday,
the Defence Ministry reported.

The newly appointed Bulgarian Defence Minister said after the
meeting: "My priorities were clearly and unequivocally stated
and they include a broader and more complete integration within
NATO and the EU and far closer cooperation in the Alliance."

Nenchev vowed to adhere to the principles enshrined in the
"National Programme: Bulgaria in NATO and in European Defence
2020," drawn up by the team of the defence minister in the
previous, caretaker government, Velizar Shalamanov.

Nenchev voiced concern about the situation in Ukraine and its
impact on security in the Black Sea region and about the events
in Iraq and Syria. He noted the expanding activity of the
Islamic State militant group and the possibility of terrorists
getting into Bulgaria. "I believe that NATO and the EU must put
up strong and clear resistance against the Islamic State and we
expect the Alliance to be more active towards this part of the
world," Nenchev said.

He updated Ducaru on the political situation in Bulgaria over
the last two years and assured him that the new Bulgarian
government rests on a solid pro-Euro-Atlantic coalition which
enjoys the support of the National Assembly (Parliament) and the
President. Nenchev said that this support base should be used
to press ahead with the reform in the Bulgarian Armed Forces,
particularly the re-armament process. "Cooperation, integration,
and trust - this is my message to our Allies in NATO," he said.

Ducaru congratulated Nenchev on taking over as Defence Minister
and thanked Bulgaria for contributing to NATO operations and
capabilities. He said the establishment of the NATO Crisis
Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence in
Bulgaria has been a success.

The guest expressed hope that the country's government and
Parliament will help implement the main priorities in the wake
of the September NATO Summit in Wales: to carry out the NATO
Readiness Action Plan and to gradually increase public spending
on defence.