site.btaPresident Radev Meets with Iraqi, Moldovan Counterparts in New York

September 24 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev met
with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih and his Moldovan
counterpart Igor Dodon on the sidelines of the 74th Session of
the UN General Assembly in New York, said the Bulgarian head of
State's press secretariat on Tuesday.

Emerging from his meeting with President Salih, Radev said that
it is Bulgaria's and Iraq's ambition to begin restoring the
presence of Bulgarian companies on the Iraqi market in various
branches where the two countries used to be economic partners,
such as construction, hydro equipment, oil and gas prospecting
and production, medicine, and education. These are fields in
which Iraq is open to partnerships and values highly Bulgarian
specialists and companies. The two heads of State agreed that
the good bilateral economic relations not long ago are a solid
basis for restoring their partnership in the new conditions of
democratic development.

During the meeting, the Iraqi President expressed his country's
interest in Bulgaria's experience with the transition to
democracy.

Radev said Bulgaria will rely on more Iraqi students coming to
study in Bulgarian universities.

Bulgaria will continue supporting Iraq's efforts for
stabilization and restoration, and is ready to assist in the
process of Iraq's democratic reforms, Radev told journalists. In
 his words, Iraq needs support because a repeat destabilization
of the country would affect Bulgaria's region in terms of both
security and a sharp increase of migrant and refugee flows.

At his meeting with Moldovan President Dodon, Radev was assured
that the territorial and administrative reform undertaken by
Moldova will not affect the status and integrity of the Taraclia
 district, which is populated by ethnic Bulgarians. The matter
of the rights of the Bulgarian minority in Moldova was raised by
 Radev, his press secretariat said.
 
The Presidents of Bulgaria and Moldova noted the close friendly
relations and active political dialogue between their countries.
 They stressed the positive contribution to the bilateral
cooperation of the large Bulgarian diaspora in Moldova, which is
 fully integrated. In Radev's words, the preservation of the
current status of Taraclia, where 63,000 ethnic Bulgarians live,
 is of vital importance for them and for the preservation of the
 national, cultural, and language identity.

Radev was also assured that the Moldovan side will do everything
 within its power to have the Gregory Tsamblak State University
of Taraclia transformed into a branch of the Angel Kanchev
University of Rousse.

RY/DS


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