United States: Bulgaria Can be Factor for Change in  Southeast Europe

Munich, February 7 (BTA) - The United States will continue to
support Bulgaria firmly along the path of reforms as well as a
factor of stability in the entire region of Southeast Europe, it
emerged at a meeting between Bulgarian President Rosen
Plevneliev and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden within the 51st
Munich Security Conference, Plevneliev's press secretariat said.


Bulgaria plans to carry out ambitious reforms for modernization
and observance of the principle of the supremacy of the law,
which were hailed by Biden. Bulgaria can be a factor for the
change of the entire region, Biden said, quoted in the press
release.

The two officials exchanged opinions about the situation in
Eastern Ukraine, about energy security matters and about the
progress in the implementation of the reforms in Bulgaria.

Plevneliev and Biden shared the view that the crisis in Eastern
Ukraine has the potential to destabilize the region of Southeast
Europe. This is why a dialogue is needed, as well as deepening
of the ties between the countries in the Balkans to speed up the
integration processes. Plevneliev said that Bulgaria is an
important factor in the region and that the country has achieved
a lot in the past 25 years. "Now we must continue to make
history by building upon the democratic institutions," he said,
noting that Bulgaria is on the right way, has clear priorities
which should be implemented. Biden said that Bulgaria is totally
clear about its problems and that the United States will
continue to support every step that leads to stability and
security which are important for the U.S. investors.

The strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States
will find a concrete expression in the activity of the working
groups set up in the area of security and defence, energy
security, the supremacy of the law, eduction and contacts
between the people. The first sessions of the working groups are
to be scheduled which will map out concrete steps for progress
in the cooperation in their areas of work.

The energy diversification and the construction of the gas
interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece are of key
significance for Bulgaria's energy independence, it was stressed
during the meeting. The participants also discussed the
progress in the implementation of the decisions of NATO Summit
Meeting in Wales and the need to modernize the Bulgarian armed
forces to attain interoperability with the partners' armies in
NATO. The United States again expressed the high mark of
Bulgaria's contribution in NATO's mission in Afghanistan.

Earlier on Saturday Plevneliev conferred with Bavarian Minister
of European
Affairs and International Relations Beate Merk. Bulgaria remains
in the group of the
most pro-European countries in Europe thanks, among other
things, to the active civil society, said the Bulgarian
President.

Plevneliev said that despite the unstable political situation in
Bulgaria in the past two years, the country has "a golden
opportunity" to go ahead with the long delayed reforms in the
judicial system, the administration, the security sector,
healthcare and eduction.

Plevneliev and Merk exchanged views about the security
environment in the region in the context of the crisis in
Eastern Ukraine. The two were unanimous that Europe must stay
united and be strong at a time when there is backtracking from
the principles of democracy and the supremacy of the law.
Plevneliev said that the developments in Ukraine and the Middle
East make Bulgaria's role in Southeastern Europe ever more
important. "Bulgaria is a responsible member of the EU and could
serve as an example to the countries in the Western Balkans
which must be given a boost along the path to European
integration," Plevneliev said.