BUILDING PARTNERSHIP: US ambassador James Pardew,
US deputy commerce secretary Samuel Bodman
and Deputy Prime Minister Lydia Shuleva during
a US trade mission visit to Bulgaria this year.
US deputy commerce secretary Samuel Bodman
and Deputy Prime Minister Lydia Shuleva during
a US trade mission visit to Bulgaria this year.
In the week of Thanksgiving Day, The Sofia Echo in co-operation with the US commerce office of the American embassy, outlines the assistance being given to develop bilateral trade ties and boost business development in Bulgaria.
I THINK it is fitting that The Sofia Echo has chosen to feature the United States on the week of our Thanksgiving celebration.
Thanksgiving is the occasion when Americans assemble to reinforce family and community ties as well as express our gratitude and friendship to our friends around the world. It is the time when Americans celebrate the fruits of our labour and the preservation of our ideals of liberty and justice. Thanksgiving is essentially the celebration of our national spirit and the expression of our hopes for international peace.
In keeping with this tradition, I would like to recognise the Bulgarian people for their commitment to democracy and rule of law. I also appreciate the goodwill and support extended by so many Bulgarian friends during my tenure as ambassador. This year, we proudly celebrated the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. The United States government is firmly committed to strengthening and growing this relationship. This includes our commercial activities as well as our political and strategic ties.
Our efforts are being built upon a solid foundation. Two-way trade last year totalled about a half-billion dollars, a 25 per cent increase since 2000. Close to 200 American companies now have a presence in Bulgaria and the American Chamber of Commerce is a growing and dynamic organisation. This past summer, Secretary of Commerce Evans declared that Bulgaria has a working market economy. While the US is only Bulgaria's sixth largest investor as of 2003, we are working hard to improve this ranking. Our objectives include the introduction of a Double Taxation Treaty to help promote US investment. As ambassador, my goal is to increase trade and investment between our two countries and I am happy to offer assistance, when needed, to facilitate American-Bulgarian business activities.
The US Commercial Service, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Foreign Agriculture Service, the Export-Import Bank, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the Central and Eastern Europe Business Information Center (CEEBIC) are all dedicated to developing our business relationship. There is still much work to be done, but good, solid progress has been made in a short period of time.
On this Thanksgiving week, I give thanks to the Bulgarian people for the role they are playing in maintaining peace and prosperity in a free world.
I THINK it is fitting that The Sofia Echo has chosen to feature the United States on the week of our Thanksgiving celebration.
Thanksgiving is the occasion when Americans assemble to reinforce family and community ties as well as express our gratitude and friendship to our friends around the world. It is the time when Americans celebrate the fruits of our labour and the preservation of our ideals of liberty and justice. Thanksgiving is essentially the celebration of our national spirit and the expression of our hopes for international peace.
In keeping with this tradition, I would like to recognise the Bulgarian people for their commitment to democracy and rule of law. I also appreciate the goodwill and support extended by so many Bulgarian friends during my tenure as ambassador. This year, we proudly celebrated the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. The United States government is firmly committed to strengthening and growing this relationship. This includes our commercial activities as well as our political and strategic ties.
Our efforts are being built upon a solid foundation. Two-way trade last year totalled about a half-billion dollars, a 25 per cent increase since 2000. Close to 200 American companies now have a presence in Bulgaria and the American Chamber of Commerce is a growing and dynamic organisation. This past summer, Secretary of Commerce Evans declared that Bulgaria has a working market economy. While the US is only Bulgaria's sixth largest investor as of 2003, we are working hard to improve this ranking. Our objectives include the introduction of a Double Taxation Treaty to help promote US investment. As ambassador, my goal is to increase trade and investment between our two countries and I am happy to offer assistance, when needed, to facilitate American-Bulgarian business activities.
The US Commercial Service, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Foreign Agriculture Service, the Export-Import Bank, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the Central and Eastern Europe Business Information Center (CEEBIC) are all dedicated to developing our business relationship. There is still much work to be done, but good, solid progress has been made in a short period of time.
On this Thanksgiving week, I give thanks to the Bulgarian people for the role they are playing in maintaining peace and prosperity in a free world.
