Bulgaria supports the efforts of Germany to find a peaceful solution to Ukraine's crisis
10 March 2014 News
Minister Kristian Vigenin met today in Berlin with his German counterpart Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The bilateral relations were among the topics of discussion, focusing on theopportunities to expand the cooperation in the field of economy, as well as current topics on the European and international agenda, including the recent developments in Ukraine.
Kristian Vigenin and Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed the situation in Ukraine and the next steps both at bilateral and European level in view of the latest development there. The foreign ministers also commented on the idea of Angela Merkel to form a contact group in order to enable direct dialogue between the Russian and the Ukrainian authorities. They shared the view that this is the right way to solve the problems that have arisen in recent weeks. Minister Vigenin expressed full support for the efforts of his German counterpart and willingness to continue to cooperate in accordance with our country’s capabilities.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister expressed the opinion that it is inappropriate to hold a referendum in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in this confrontational environment, especially without the consent of the central government in Kiev. "We want to move towards de-escalation of tensions in Ukraine and we urge all parties to deterrence and to dialogue," said the Bulgarian top diplomat.
He informed Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of the results of his visit to Ukraine last week , as well as of Bulgaria’s expectations that the new authorities will guarantee the rights of all minorities in the country, including the Bulgarian. " At the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday in Brussels, we will continue the discussion on Ukraine and the Eastern Partnership," said Minister Vigenin.
Among the topics of conversation was also the possible imposition of economic sanctions on Russia by the European Union. According to the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, they would affect not only Russia but also the EU, and Bulgaria is among the countries that will sustain losses.
The two ministers talked also about the issue of cooperation in Southeast Europe and the EU enlargement policy. A stronger coordination as regards enlargement would be beneficial for both sides, given the expertise of Bulgaria in the Western Balkans.
The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Germany discussed also the current state of the bilateral relations. Kristian Vigenin emphasized the importance of German investments in Bulgaria, which are contributing to the positive development of the business environment in our country. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to continue efforts towards finding a solution to the inherited in recent years problemswith the German investors, which was well perceived by the authorities in Berlin.
Minister Vigenin invited Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier to visit Bulgaria this year in order to sustain the enhanced dialogue. In 2014 the Republic of Bulgaria and the Federal Republic of Germany mark 135 years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations.
During his visit to Berlin, Kristian Vigenin met with Dr. Christoph Heusgen, Director-General, Foreign Policy and Security Advisor to the Federal Chancellor, Federal Chancellery. Later today Kristian Vigenin will meet also with Gernot Erler, Chairman of the German-Bulgarian Forum and coordinator for the Intersocietal Cooperation with Russia, Central Asia and the Eastern Partnership countries. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister will continue holding talks on specific initiatives concerning both Ukraine and the EU policy towards the Eastern Partnership countries.
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