Bulgarian participation in peacekeeping mission abroad would increase next year, Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov said after a meeting with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Atanasiu.

Nearly 500 Bulgarian soldiers were taking part in operations abroad, Bliznakov said.

According to the optimal option Bulgaria could send nearly 1800 soldiers abroad by 2014, Bliznakov said. This represented eight per cent of the country's infantry, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported.

The Defence Ministry, Council of Ministers and parliamentary defence committee would discuss the increase in military operation participation for next year, Bliznakov said.

Bulgaria would follow European policies when it came to the military presence in Lebanon, BTA reported.

The country could also increase its military co-operation with Romania, Bliznakov said. One of the options involved modernisation and the supply of new equipment, Bliznakov said.

Other topics of discussion included participation in the Active Endeavour operation in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as army reforms.