2024-09-28 11:42:33
“The European agreement with the Republic of North Macedonia is clear. Bulgaria does not need intermediaries in this process”.
This was stated to BGNES by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivan Kondov. His statement was on the occasion of today’s speech by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is on a visit to the neighboring RSM.
After his meeting with Mickoski, Orbán said that he “offered RSM Hungary to be a mediator between the two countries”.
“Whether the parties are ready to accept Hungary as a mediator – we will see. We are ready to find a solution that is acceptable to both the RSM and Bulgaria. This is for the parties in this conflict to decide, and we are ready to help,” he said also Orban, who is on a two-day official visit to the RSM.
On the last day of his program at the General Debate of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, he took part today in New York at the informal breakfast of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the Central European Initiative (CEI), which was hosted by the Albanian Presidency of the form. This was announced by the press center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The CEI Foreign Ministers’ discussion focused on the renewed momentum for EU enlargement amid the new geopolitical circumstances and the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, which has seriously affected international security and stability.
In his speech, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister expressed his conviction that European integration is the best way to guarantee and promote peace, security, prosperity, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in the interest of the citizens of the enlargement countries, and thanked of the Albanian Presidency of CEI for organizing today’s meeting.
Kondov emphasized that regional cooperation and good neighborly relations play an essential role in the preparations for accession and are a cornerstone in the enlargement process. In this sense, he highlighted the role of CEI as a valuable regional platform for policy dialogue and cooperation, and as a mediator for the transfer of know-how between countries within the format through result-oriented capacity building projects in support of European integration.
The Foreign Minister expressed the expectation that CEI will continue to pay attention to issues such as connectivity and sustainable mobility in the region in accordance with its thematic program. According to him, well-developed infrastructure can significantly contribute to both economic development and increased security.
Kondov also emphasized that it is extremely important for the EU to have as its immediate neighbors stable, reliable and prosperous countries that share and promote common European values, namely democracy, the rule of law, human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities and communities. He recalled that the process of European integration requires efforts from both sides and that EU enlargement continues to be based on the principle of own merits and strict conditionality, as well as criteria valid for all. Kondov said he looks forward to seeing all candidate countries as full EU members.
Later, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister also met in New York with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan. Ivan Kondov assured his Armenian colleague that Armenia is a traditional economic partner for Bulgaria and that our country wants to develop comprehensive, long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation, stressing the need to further deepen trade and economic relations and upgrade cooperation between our countries in various areas of mutual interest. The Bulgarian first diplomat congratulated his colleague on Armenia’s demonstrated desire to deepen relations with the EU and on the country’s continued commitment to common European values and democratic reforms despite the unstable security environment and complex geopolitical context. This, as well as the presence of a large Armenian community in Bulgaria, has a positive impact on our bilateral cooperation.
On the sidelines of the General Assembly, Kondov also held a short meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Lebanon, Abdullah Buhabib. The two discussed the worrying developments in the situation in the Middle East region. Minister Kondov also informed his Lebanese colleague of the results of the investigation carried out by the Bulgarian government into media publications involving the name of our country, which shows that there is no evidence of Bulgarian participation in the production, trade or transfer of the described communication devices .
