site.btaDefence Cooperation between Bulgaria, US Discussed during Meeting at Graf Ignatievo Air Base

October 21 (BTA) - US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper Wednesday visited the Graf Ignatievo Air Base as part of a VIP Guest Day held there, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry said in a press release. The US official is quoted as saying that Bulgaria and the United States are building very strong bilateral relations, in the interest of the entire NATO.

Cooper is also quoted as saying that there are strategic investments going beyond the short-term projects.

The guest observed the joint air policing mission operating out of Graf Ignatievo Air Base. Other guests at the base were US Ambassador in Bulgaria Herro Mustafa, Gen. Jeffrey L. Harrigian, Commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Bulgarian Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov, and Deputy Chief of Defence Lt. Gen. Tsanko Stoikov.

Cooper is also quoted as saying that his meetings with US and Bulgarian officials discuss important future projects for Bulgaria and the United States, building additional capabilities, expanding the defence cooperation and strengthening interoperability, not just between Bulgaria and the United States as partners, but among all NATO members.

He said that the ten-year road map in defence cooperation signed at the start of the month between Bulgaria and the United States is just the beginning of a broader and deeper strategic partnership. The guest said everyone is looking forward to a deeper partnership programme for Bulgaria, for the United States and for all countries in the region, in which Bulgaria plays a role in strengthening stability. He said that the practical implementation of this is the building of the infrastructure and the future plans for F-16 jet fighters.

Zapryanov said that the current visit of the US official is about the modernization of the Bulgarian Air Force and the discussion for the purchase of eight more jet fighters, which is to be decided in the future. The Bulgarian government will invest 300 million leva in modernization of the air base, he said, noting that the money is more than the necessary outlays for the purchase and operation of the F-16s. "We want to have a modern air base, on a par as those of the NATO member states," he said.

The current joint Bulgarian-US air policing mission of this country's air space continues until October 30 and involves seven F-16 jet fighters, up to 140 US servicepersons, MiG-29 jet fighters of the Bulgarian Air Force and flying and engineering staff of the Graf Ignatievo Air Base. RI/ZH
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