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Bulgaria in NATOBulgaria's accession to NATO was a key priority of the foreign policy of our country in the last decade of the 20th century. The active participation in the Partnership for Peace program contributed significantly to the readiness of the Bulgarian Armed Forces and structures for NATO membership. This strategic goal was achieved on 29March 2004. Implementation of allied commitments stemming from NATO membership is a core element of the defence policy of our country. NATO remains the key guarantor of security of Bulgaria and renders more effective the successful response to possible threats to the country. In turn, Bulgaria is an active and predictable Member of the Alliance and seeks to contribute to its maximum to its successful activities in various spheres. Bulgarian contribution to the activities of NATO is multifaceted. Bulgaria is actively working to strengthen political dialogue, consultation, and coordination within the Alliance; it contributes to operations and missions of NATO in crisis response and to the development of military capabilities. Bulgaria has consistently promoted NATO's open-door policy, sharing the view that the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective is the most stable guarantee for the establishment of lasting security and prosperity. The ongoing process of transformation in the Alliance is essential to NATO’s successful adaptation to the changing security environment and the performance of emerging operational tasks. Bulgaria supports the various initiatives aimed at meeting new security challenges and at development of military capabilities, as launched at NATO summits in Prague (2002), Istanbul (2004), Riga (2006) and Lisbon (2010). The changed security environment requires adaptation and rethinking of the fundamental role and tasks facing NATO. The decisions made at the last NATO summit clearly and unambiguously show that the Alliance is becoming an important tool for planning and coordinating multinational military efforts to protect against the new asymmetric threats. The position of Bulgaria on the development of various partnerships of NATO as part of the transformation of the Alliance is that they should be based on the following principles: balance, pragmatism, flexibility, and a combination of geographic and functional approach. Bulgaria highly values the role of NATO as an important international forum for dialogue and consultation. Our country is an active participant in many initiatives and programs of the Alliance:
Bulgaria supports the development of cooperation between NATO and Russia as essential for the security in the Euro-Atlantic area in two interrelated aspects: that of the political dialogue and that of practical cooperation. The interaction between NATO and Russia in spheres such as combating terrorism, military cooperation and defence reform should be developed on the basis of the understanding of actual mutual benefit.
Bulgaria, as part of the Alliance, is willing to further develop the relations between NATO and Ukraine. Within the organization, as well as on a bilateral basis, Bulgaria provides assistance in the areas of defence reform and public diplomacy in Ukraine.
Following the conflict between Georgia and Russia in August 2008, the NATO-Georgia Council was created for the purpose of coordinating the further development of the country’s relations with NATO. Bulgaria, as the contact embassy for NATO in the period 2004 – 2008, actively contributed to the deepening of political dialogue with Georgia and the strengthening of the Euro-Atlantic orientation of the country. Bulgaria, together with other NATO Allies, is an active participant in the South Caucasus Clearing House mechanism providing expert and technical assistance for defence reform in the countries of the South Caucus.
Alliance Partners in the Dialogue are seven countries in the region: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. The objectives of this cooperation include strengthening the political dialogue, achieving interoperability, progress in defence reform in partner countries and contribution to the fight against terrorism. Bulgaria supports the initiatives of the Mediterranean Dialogue and participates fully in them.
The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative was launched in June 2004 with the objective to strengthen the stability and security in the region of the wider Middle East through the establishment of mutually beneficial bilateral partnerships between NATO and individual countries in the region. So far, the countries which have joined the initiative are Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
In accordance with the concept of long-term force generation, Bulgaria has declared its intention to contribute to the next rotation of forces, up to NRF 20 inclusive (1 January – 30 June 2013).
Three regular meetings at the level of Defence Ministers of NATO Member States are held every year, two informal ones and one formal. The following meetings will be held in 2011: |
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