With more money flowing to the country for its NATO membership preparation, a member of the British House of Lords urged Bulgaria for closer co-operation with neighbouring countries, which can boost its chances of joining NATO and the EU.
Lord William Wallace, who was on a two-day visit to the country Monday and Tuesday, recommended that Bulgaria shows as much capacity in the field of defence as possible in the months before the alliance’s Prague summit in November.
Bulgaria’s participation in joint military initiatives and trainings will be a clear indication of its readiness for NATO membership, Wallace said on Tuesday.
If he were the country’s defence minister, he would have urged for further and much closer co-operation with neighbouring states, he said.
At a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov, Wallace also suggested that Bulgaria should consider increasing the administrative staff, which will be trained to represent Bulgaria in the NATO and EU structures.
In the meantime, US President George Bush endorsed Tuesday the Law on NATO Enlargement and Providing Military Support to seven applicant states, including Bulgaria, which was adopted earlier by the US Congress. The law provides for $55.5 million in aid for the seven candidates to help them meet the NATO membership requirements. Bulgaria will receive $10 million.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reiterated on Saturday that the US favour a relatively robust enlargement of the pact. Talking with defence ministers of seven Baltic and Nordic nations in Estonia, Rumsfeld declined to be more specific about the exact number of states to receive invitations but said that President Bush favours a “good number” of candidates.
Over the week, Turkish Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ali Iliksoy once again voiced its support for Bulgaria’s candidacy. Conferring with Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov Monday, he said that Turkey follows with satisfaction Bulgaria’s progress towards NATO and EU membership.
Coming back from a session of the Euro-Atlantic partnership council and the 48th session of the Assembly of the West European Union, Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov said on Saturday that Bulgaria has secured Poland’s unconditional support for extending an invitation to join NATO at the Prague summit.
Lord William Wallace, who was on a two-day visit to the country Monday and Tuesday, recommended that Bulgaria shows as much capacity in the field of defence as possible in the months before the alliance’s Prague summit in November.
Bulgaria’s participation in joint military initiatives and trainings will be a clear indication of its readiness for NATO membership, Wallace said on Tuesday.
If he were the country’s defence minister, he would have urged for further and much closer co-operation with neighbouring states, he said.
At a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Petko Draganov, Wallace also suggested that Bulgaria should consider increasing the administrative staff, which will be trained to represent Bulgaria in the NATO and EU structures.
In the meantime, US President George Bush endorsed Tuesday the Law on NATO Enlargement and Providing Military Support to seven applicant states, including Bulgaria, which was adopted earlier by the US Congress. The law provides for $55.5 million in aid for the seven candidates to help them meet the NATO membership requirements. Bulgaria will receive $10 million.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld reiterated on Saturday that the US favour a relatively robust enlargement of the pact. Talking with defence ministers of seven Baltic and Nordic nations in Estonia, Rumsfeld declined to be more specific about the exact number of states to receive invitations but said that President Bush favours a “good number” of candidates.
Over the week, Turkish Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ali Iliksoy once again voiced its support for Bulgaria’s candidacy. Conferring with Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov Monday, he said that Turkey follows with satisfaction Bulgaria’s progress towards NATO and EU membership.
Coming back from a session of the Euro-Atlantic partnership council and the 48th session of the Assembly of the West European Union, Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov said on Saturday that Bulgaria has secured Poland’s unconditional support for extending an invitation to join NATO at the Prague summit.
