site.btaForeign Minister Stoev to Take Part in Ministerial Meetings of UfM, NATO, OSCE

Sofia, November 28 (BTA) - Caretaker Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev will take part in several meetings of foreign ministers of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), NATO, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) countries in the coming week, his Ministry said Sunday.

On Monday, Stoev will attend the 4th UfM Regional Forum in Barcelona and an EU-Southern Neighbourhood ministerial that will review the progress achieved in the application of the new programme for the Mediterranean.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Stoev will represent Bulgaria at the meetings of NATO's North Atlantic Council at the level of Foreign Affrairs Ministers in Riga, where current security issues and the preparations for the NATO Summit in Madrid next year will be discussed. Also on the agenda are matters related to the gathering of troops in and around Ukraine, the situation along the Alliance's border with Belarus, NATO's role in arms control and non-proliferation, the lessons learned in Afghanistan, and current developments in the Western Balkans.

On Thursday and Friday, Stoev will be in Stockholm for the 28th OSCE Ministerial Council, where the foreign ministers of the 57 participating countries will review and assess the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian zones, as well as OSCE's work in all areas of its activity.

/DS/