CMC visits BULGARIA
26-27 Nov
08
SOFIA -
Bulgaria ---
Chairman of NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, paid an
official visit in Bulgaria invited
by the Chief of General Staff, Gen. Zlatan STOYKOV, Friday.
Admiral Di Paola was
recently in
Sofia, along with the whole
Military Committee, when all the Chiefs of Defence
from the 26 NATO member nations, along with
Albania and
Croatia on their way
to full membership, and the two NATO Strategic Commanders, gathered for a
two-days of discussions and seminars about NATO operations and
transformaion.
“This special
invitation from Gen. Stoykov gives me me the opportunity to discuss in depth
with highest political and military authorities recent developments of all the
issues where NATO is engaged, and the relationship and coperation with
Bulgaria.”
Admiral Di Paola and Gen Stoykov held a meeting where the Chairman
was presented the latest updates on the status of the Bulgarian Armed Forces.
Admiral Di Paola took the opportunity to acknowledge the great contribution
Bulgaria is providing to NATO’s operations, as well as the quality of the job
done by the Bulgarian staff at NATO HQ. Bulgaria has been a NATO partner country
since 1994 and a full member since 2003, continously providing forces to
operations. During the discussions, it was underlined that Bulgaria is
proceeding steadily in the transformation process of the Armed Forces. In this
context, the need to develop sufficient deployable combat and support elements
is paramount. The updating process will also see a commitment in optimizing
resources, looking at vital assets to be reinforced and less vital one’s, their
status to be reconsidered.
During
the visit, the Chairman had also the opportunity to meet with the Prime
Minister, H.E. Sergey Stanishev, with the Minister for Defence, H.E. Nikolay
Tsonev, and with the Chairman of the Parliamentarian Defence Committee, Mr.
Peter Dubov. In
all the meetings, Admiral Di Paola underlined Bulgaria’contribution to the
Alliance
and paid a tribute to men and women serving every day the cause of peace,
followed in this by local authorities.
The
Prime Minister, in particular, insisted on the common goals for security that,
in a globalized world, everybody has to face. H.E. also underlined the paramount
military mission of NATO in creating the security conditions, from the Balkans
to Afghanistan,
for the other actors to operate, in a comprehensive approach.
The Minister of Defence, on the other hand, emphasized rights and
responsibilities about NATO’s membership and the necessity of an appropriate
multinational approach when building capabilities.
Admiral
Di Paola delivered a speech at the Raskovski
Defence
College
about NATO and its coming 60th Anniversary. The audience comprised of representatives of the diplomatic corps
and senior military staff of the Bulgarian army, rectors of Bulgarian
universities, directors of faculties.
The
speech covered how NATO is approaching the milestone of the Anniversary, which
new challenges to security the Alliance
is facing or getting ready to face, also through a transformation targeted to
future scenarios. Summarizing his concepts, the Chairman underlined that “NATO
has to be Effective now, Forward Looking, Responsive and Responsible.”