site.btaPrime Minister Talks with American Jewish Organizations in New York

September 27 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko
Borissov met with representatives of American Jewish
organizations in New York on September 26, the government press
service in Sofia reported. Borissov is in the US metropolis as
leader of the Bulgarian delegation to the 73rd Session of the UN
 General Assembly.

He said that the Bulgarians and the Jews have a very strong bond
 between them and have built a friendship over the years, which
is a prerequisite for cooperation on the international level. He
 said: "We are grateful to the Jewish community for its
contribution and support for Bulgaria during the years of
transition to democracy, in the process of the country's
accession to NATO and the EU, and for deepening our bilateral
dialogue with the United States."

The Prime Minister said Bulgaria would appreciate the support
and assistance of the American Jewish community for persuading
the US Congress and the administration in Washington to agree to
 complete visa reciprocity between the two countries.

"Bulgaria was the only country that refused to send 50,000 of
its citizens of Jewish descent to their death in Nazi
concentration camps in 1943," Borissov recalled, stressing that
this historical fact should be studied and better publicized.

He updated the American Jewish organizations on the steps taken
by Bulgaria to become a member of the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance. He said this is an important
intergovernmental organization for his country. Borissov also
recalled that Bulgaria was the fifth EU member state to adopt a
legal definition of anti-Semitism. This has enabled the
country's judicial and law enforcement authorities to identify
and prosecute acts of anti-Semitism, he said. RY/VE