Bulgaria, Britain Confirm Strong Partnership within  EU, NATO

London, June 16 (BTA) - Meeting in London on Tuesday, Bulgarian
Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov and his British counterpart,
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, had "wide-ranging discussions
across the challenges, concerns and interests their countries
share as strong EU partners and NATO allies", the Foreign
Ministry said. The two chief diplomats discussed the political
and security threats in the EU's neighbourhood, including the
situations in Ukraine and the Republic of Macedonia. They
underlined their countries' commitment to the stability and
independence of Ukraine, and the importance of Russia fulfilling
 its Minsk Agreement obligations in order to resolve the crisis,
 and the need for further sanctions if it does not.

Hammond talked about the UK's EU Reform agenda and the planned
EU referendum in the UK.  The two agreed on "the need for a
dynamic, competitive, outward focused Europe, delivering
prosperity and security for all countries in the EU", their
joint statement said. Regarding the British debate on reforming
the principles of the EU citizens' access to the welfare systems
 of the Member States, Hammond said the British government was
ready to discuss with its EU partners possible solutions which
do not discriminate against any category of EU citizens and
which could form a basis for a broad consensus among the Member
States.

Mitov and Hammond also said in the joint statement: "We
reaffirmed the strength of our alliance - including through
NATO, the cornerstone of our security.  We noted the strength of
 our cooperation in implementing the NATO Readiness Action Plan,
 including the participation by a UK infantry platoon in
Exercise Steadfast Lev (April 2015), and in a further exercise
in July. We continued our ongoing discussions on our excellent
cooperation in tackling the terrorist threat, including from
foreign fighters."

Bulgaria and Britain reaffirmed their shared ambition for active
 cooperation during the preparations for the UK-Estonia-Bulgaria
 Trio Presidency of the EU in 2017-2018.

Mitov also met with Lord Boswell of Aynho, Chairman of the
European Union Committee in the House of Lords. The two
discussed the British government's commitment to EU reforms and
the role of the House of Lords and its European Union Committee
regarding the bill on Britain's EU membership referendum, which
is expected to take place by the end of 2017.

In a separate session, Mitov and the British government's
National Security Adviser, Sir Kim Darroch, discussed a wide
range of matters pertaining to security in the Western Balkans,
the European prospects of the countries in the region and ways
to cope with related challenges, including in the wider context
of European security. The meeting paid special attention to the
current situation in Macedonia and the prospects of finding a
way out of the political crisis in the country. Mitov and Sir
Kim exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and the EU's
relations with Russia.