On November 19, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin and Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem signed in Damascus a memorandum on holding regular political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two states and an executive programme on the culture agreement between the two governments for the 2009/11 period, the press service of the Foreign Ministry said.

Kalfin began his official three-day visit to Syria and Jordan on November 18.

Syria's foreign minister said he hoped that the signed documents will give a new push to the bilateral relations and steressed Syria's desire to renew its historic ties with Bulgaria in the economic and political field. Kalfin, for his part, added Bulgaria and Syria had a long history of friendly relations and cultural co-operation, which are highly esteemed by the Bulgarian people.

A proof of this were the numerous mixed marriages and the presence of a big Bulgarian community in Syria, he said. Following Bulgaria's accession to the European Union, there were new instruments for co-operation under the EU-Middle East relations and in the framework of the Mediterranean Union, Kalfin said.

After the meeting it was confirmed that in 2009 Syria's president Bashar al-Assad would visit Bulgaria.

Kalfin's visit to Syria started with a meeting with the Bulgarian community in Damask and the opening of the renewed Bulgarian cultural centre on November 18. Before leaving for Jordan, Kalfin is also due to meet with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, prime minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari and parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash.