“As an EU member and one of the best NATO partners Bulgaria can be of great help for Arab countries and we’re completely ready to do that,” said Borisov.

The Bulgarian PM commented that Bulgarians have deep sympathies with pro-democracy efforts of the citizens of the Arabic countries, as Bulgarian themselves led a similar struggle in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“Back then, it was considerably easier for us than it is now for our Arab friends. For Bulgaria is located in Europe, and it had the support of all those countries that composed the EU back then,” said Borisov.

The Bulgarian PM went on to argue that now Bulgaria in turn is ready to offer similar support to other countries on their way to democratic self-rule of their peoples.

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China views Bulgaria as a reliable partner in Europe and within the EU, Gen. Xu Caihou, member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, told Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov in Sofia.

Xu, who is on a three-day visit in Sofia as part of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has also thanked Bulgaria for adhering to the policy of “One China“, i.e. abstaining from establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan – which was confirmed once again by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov at their meeting on Wednesday.

Gen. Xu Caihou, the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission in the PRC, presented greetings to Bulgarian President Parvanov from China‘s President Hu Jintao on the occasion of Bulgaria’s National Unification Day, September 6, the press office of the Bulgarian Presidency reported in a statement.

Parvanov has reiterated an earlier invite for a visit by Hu to Bulgaria; if he comes to Bulgaria before his term as President of the PRC expires in 2013, Hu will be become the first Chinese President to visit Bulgaria. However, Parvanov will hardly be the one to welcome him in Sofia because his second term expires in January 2012.

Parvanov met with Hu back in 2008 in China when he visited Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

During his talks with Gen. Xu, Bulgarian President Parvanov stressed the great potential for trade and Chinese investments in Bulgaria, pointing out the car manufacturing plant of Great Wall Motors in Bulgaria’s Lovech in cooperation with the local company Litex.

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Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry has joined the other EU countries in the recognition and welcome of the newest independent state in the world, South Sudan, which held Saturday, July 9, 2011, its independence ceremony.

“Six months after voting freely for independence in a democratic referendum, we witness the birth of Africa’s youngest nation. The peaceful road that led to today was made possible by the responsible behavior of all political leaders who in 2005 agreed to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov said in a special statement.

“Bulgaria respects the will of the people of South Sudan and welcomes the independence of the new state. Next week we will recognise the independence of South Sudan and proceed to establish diplomatic relations. ?t the Independence day celebrations Bulgaria was represented by our permanent representative to the African Union,” he explained.

Mladenov further declares that Bulgaria stands ready, together with its EU partners, to support the new country in developing a democratic state, which is capable of delivering opportunities for economic and social development to its people. Bulgaria vows coordinate with the European Commission and the United Nations how best to support South Sudan in developing their healthcare, education and agriculture.

“Today the citizens of the young country are full of enthusiasm for their independence. Now they will be able to chose for themselves how to govern their country, how to use the natural resources of their land, but most of all – how to bear the responsibility for their own future. Bulgaria will develop its relations with South Sudan and with Sudan in the interest of the people of both countries and the stability of Africa,” Mladenov promised.

On 9 July South Sudan formally secedes from Sudan under the name Republic of South Sudan. The independence comes as a result of a referendum that took place in January and February 2011, where almost 99% of those voting opted for secession.

Secession will also mark the last phase of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, agreed in 2005, ending 21 years of civil war between North and South Sudan

Benjamin Netanyahu arrives on Thursday in Bulgaria, the first visit of an Israeli prime minister to the country for the last two decades.

The Israeli delegation will include ministers of finance, telecommunications, construction and civil defense.

The visit is at the invitation of Bulgaria‘s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

In Sofia Netanyahu is scheduled to confer with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and President Georgi Parvanov.

A highlight on the agenda will the joint sitting to be held by the Bulgarian and Israeli cabinets. According to Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Vesela Cherneva, the joint sitting will make history as the first such event in the region, as this far Israel has held such a meeting only with the governments of Italy and Germany.

Three intergovernmental agreements are expected to be signed at the meeting: one for cooperation in the military industry sector, one on mutual protection of investments, and one on the stimulation of R&D in the private sector.

The official visit of PM Netanyahu and his cabinet ministers also includes an evening meeting with the Bulgarian Jewish community in the Sofia Synagogue.

Israeli media cited diplomatic officials as saying that the visit is not just about the Palestinian statehood bid, but rather a chance to promote relations and cultivate friendship.

Bulgaria both recognized a Palestinian state in 1988 when they were under Soviet domination, Israel is trying to get them not to support the Palestinian move in September. Insiders told Israeli media that the signals given by Bulgaria‘s foreign minister are encouraging.

Bulgaria is considered among the most friendly countries toward Israel in the EU. Bilateral relations were given a boost as Israel‘s ties with Turkey with Turkey deteriorated and the country tried to improve its ties with Turkey’s historic rivals in the region.

Bulgaria and Israel have been holding traditionally vigorous bilateral relations. The last Bulgarian delegation visited Israel just a month ago, when vice-PM and Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov discussed matters related to international crime and the boosting of Israeli tourist inflow in Bulgaria.

A year ago Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikolay Mladenov was to Israel for the ceremony of recognition of Vladimir Kurtev by Yad Vashem, the “Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority”, as the seventh Bulgarian “Righteous Among the Nations” for his role in the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews from deportation to Nazi death camps in 1943.

In April 2010, Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Traicho Traikov was also to Israel, heading a business delegation, while January 2010 Israel was visited by a high Bulgarian delegation headed by PM Boyko Borisov, in which key matters as to the economic and financial development of the two countries were discussed.

The two countries have also been enjoying vigorous economic and cultural ties. In 2009 Jews from around the world gathered to celebrate the centennial of the Sofia Synagogue.

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Joint Bulgarian-Romanian traffic police units have started patrolling Bulgaria’s Danube city of Ruse, 60 km south of Bucharest, a measure that will be in place over the summer.

The joint traffic policing in Ruse is part of the initiatives of the police authorities of Bulgaria and Romania to prevent traffic incidents in border and transit points.

The Bulgarian-Romanian police unit, which started patrolling at Ruse‘s exit on the road to Sofia, is equipped with video recording equipment. In the first two hours of its work, the unit shot seven violations and issued two tickets.

The joint Bulgarian-Romanian traffic policing of Ruse will continue till September 15, 2011. The Romanian police officers are wearing their native uniforms and have the status of observers. Any violators are sanctioned according to the Bulgarian legislation by the Bulgarian police officers. The officers’ roles are reversed on Romanian territory.

In the summer of 2010, Bulgaria and Romania launched joint policing for the first time in their history in the Bulgarian Black Sea resorts, which boast about 1 million Romanian tourists per year.

As the situation in Yemen continues to be unstable, the Foreign Ministry has recommended that all Bulgarian nationals flee the country using planes or trade ships.

Those willing to leave the Middle Eastern country are advised to inform the Bulgarian Embassy in the capital Sanaa. According to the Foreign Ministry, 10 Bulgarian citizens are registered as living in Sanaa, and around 50 in other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, Yemeni President, Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered his security forces on Thursday to protect the demonstrators who are calling for him to resign. The violence has brought the number of people killed in Yemen since demonstrations began this month to at least 15.

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US Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick, voiced hope the rift in Bulgaria’s Muslim Community will come to an end and Bulgarian Muslims will be able to elect their leaders by themselves.

The Ambassador said he was grateful for having the opportunity to be together with the Bulgarian Muslim community, pointing out he had been very impressed by the fact that over 200 000 Muslims have signed the petition to hold the conference.

The forum is organized under the initiative of Muslim boards, imams and Muslims from all over Bulgaria.

The emergency Muslim conference is to decide on the thorny issue of who is going to be their Chief Mufti.

About 1 120 delegates have gathered at the Dedeman Princess hotel in the capital Sofia to attend the forum, which has been called by Mustafa Alish Hadzhi. Hadzhi has been elected Chief Mufti, but is not registered by the Court.

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