Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy expressed his support for Bulgaria’s admittance to NATO in a speech given Monday in Copley Formal Lounge.
The alliance will extend invitations for membership as a part of its November summit in Prague.
Passy cited his nation’s position as a “de facto United States and NATO ally” as a reason for it to be included in the alliance, noting several Bulgarian contributions to American and NATO military actions. These examples included Bulgaria’s recent decision to host a U.S. military base, along with Bulgaria’s steadfast support for the U.N. embargoes on Yugoslavia, the last of which ended in September 2000. Bulgaria currently holds a seat on the U.N. Security Council.
Passy said that Bulgaria’s admission into NATO would also encourage the Balkan states, and eventually Central Asia, to integrate with the rest of the European continent.
Passy noted Bulgaria’s success at capturing drugs produced by the Taliban and other Asian sources, calling his nation the “most efficient filter for heroin flowing into Europe.” NATO admittance for Bulgaria, he said, would further promote anti-drug trafficking measures.
