site.btaSEDM Deputy Chiefs of Defence Annual Meeting Held in Istanbul

The annual meeting of the Deputy Chiefs of Defence of the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) process took place in Istanbul, Turkiye, on Wednesday. Bulgaria was represented by a delegation led by Deputy Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Mihail Popov, the Defence Ministry’s press centre said.

The security environment in the region and regional defence cooperation were discussed. In their addresses, the heads of the national delegations of the member states briefed the participants in the meeting on their countries' stances on topical issues, the opportunities for SEDM’s further development, and the progress made.

At the end of the meeting, a Joint statement of the Deputy Chiefs of Defence was adopted.

The meetings of the Deputy Chiefs of Defence of the Southeast European countries are an important part of the SEDM process and are held annually in one of the member states on a rotational basis. They are an effective mechanism for enhancing regional security and one of the most important forums for regional security and defence cooperation, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry added.