Varna, 27 May 2011 - BULGARIA IS FULL CONTRIBUTOR TO NATO'S MODERN MISSIONS, FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

The alliance is addressing “new challenges which 10, 20 or 30 years ago didn't exist,” the minister said, including terrorism in all its forms, and the protection of its civilian populations and military troops, abroad and at home.

The NATO missile defence system was a key part of this new mission, he told the Parliamentary Assembly's press office on the sidelines of the meeting. 

“To us what's important is to make sure that, as the system evolves, it covers the entire territory of Bulgaria,” he said. But he denied reports in the previous day's Bulgarian press that Sofia had already agreed to host part of the system on Botev Peak, a prominent local landmark.

There has been no commitment to “put a radar on top of a monument” as the press report suggested, he said. “But we are talking to our partners in NATO, in particular to our American friends, as to what is the best way for Bulgaria to fit into the new architecture.”

If the Balkan country did agree to host a component of the system, designed to protect against a rogue missile strike, this would not be a reversal of policy, he stressed. “On the contrary, we've always said that we will do our part for the system, whatever it takes.  But we're not at that stage of the discussion yet.”

He also expressed Bulgaria 's support for Serbia, after the arrest of former officer and suspected war criminal Ratko Mladic on Thursday opened the way for that country's integration with NATO.

There were already plans for “more training of Serbian and Bulgarian troops together with NATO allies at facilities in Bulgaria,” he said. There was also a need to strengthen political links and foster military transformation in Serbia, he said.

But the Serbs must be free to choose whether ultimately to join the alliance, and “not feel it is being pressed on them from the outside,” he said.  “I think we have to be careful, it's still very much an issue of internal debate in Serbia.”

“My personal view is that the public at large in Serbia must understand that it is in the interest of their long-term security to be part of the same family of values. And I hope that they reach that understanding with the help of the Serbian government.”

Bulgaria 's involvement in NATO operations in Libya are another indication of the country's commitment to the alliance. In addition to the frigate already provided by the Bulgarian navy, “I think we will be focusing on the humanitarian assistance,” he said.

The country's military have already helped evacuate around 1,000 Egyptian and Sudanese nationals from Libya. “We're also looking at getting humanitarian aid into Misrata and Benghazi,” currently cut off by the regime's troops, the minister said.  “But our military involvement in the operation will probably remain on the naval side.”

Some 250 parliamentarians from the 28 NATO member countries as well as delegates from partner countries and experts are meeting from Friday 27 May to Monday 30 May 2011, ahead of the annual session scheduled for October in Bucharest.