Bulgaria Wants New Eastern Europe Seats in UN Security Council

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov told the UN there was "unfinished business in Europe" referring to the peace and stability of the Balkans. Photo by Foreign Ministry

Bulgaria wants at least one new non-permanent UN Security Council seat for Eastern Europe, Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov told the UN General Assembly.

Mladenov spoke Tuesday during the General Debate of the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly, outlining Bulgaria's views and priorities as a member of the global organization. (Full text of Mladenov's speech is available HERE)

"Bulgaria has endorsed the enlargement of the Security Council in its two categories, i.e. permanent and non-permanent members. As member of the Eastern European Regional Group, Bulgaria shall continue to uphold its position as to the need of allotting at least one additional non-permanent seat for a State representing the Group, especially given the fact that in recent years its membership has doubled," Mladenov said with respect to the issue of Security Council reform.

In his speech, he urged the international community "to prove wrong all those who believe that the world is heading for an irresolvable clash of civilizations", while also vowing increased involvement on part of Bulgaria in international humanitarian efforts.

"My country – like most today – faces challenges imposed by the global economic and financial crisis. We have committed to develop our own donor capacity and so we shall. Because Bulgaria – like a number of countries that have joined the European Union since the fall of the Berlin Wall – understands that the solidarity which was extended to us, now needs to be extended by us to those less fortunate." promised the Bulgarian Foreign Minister mentioning the plight of the people in Haiti after the devastating earthquake there and the current troubles of 20 million people who suffered from the floods in Pakistan.

One of the main points that Mladenov focused in his speech was the commitment to peace and stability in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, including the resolving of the issues in the Western Balkans.

"The European Union was created to make war impossible in a continent that has seen at least a century of conflicts. In Europe, however we have unfinished business. Europe shall not be whole and complete until our neighbours in the Balkans are not part of our Union. It falls on us – those who joined the EU late, not by their own choice, but because of the ideological divisions of the Cold War – to say it loud and clear: to make war impossible in the Balkans we must see all countries that have emerged from former Yugoslavia be part of the European Union. This is our historic mission. Its our destiny," he declared also mentioning that Bulgaria is ready to contribute to helping Bosnia and Herzegovina overcome its problems.

With respect to world issues, Mladenov commented on the need of good will to further the Middle East Peace Process, and the necessary efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and of countering the spread of international terrorism.

"If the leaders of Palestine believe that settlement policy is an obstacle to peace, the leaders of Israel must refrain from such activities. To give peace a chance. If the leaders of Israel believe that no preconditions to a final settlement should be put in place, then the Palestinian leaders must refrain from such actions. To give peace a chance," the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said apparently seeking to make a balanced statement on the thorny Israeli-Palestinian talks.

He declared Bulgaria's position firmly in favor of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying Bulgaria considers all State Parties, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to be bound by their NPT obligations, and deems international concerns about the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran "justified." Yet, he did speak in favor of a diplomatic solution of the of the Iranian nuclear issue.

While underscoring the need to tackle piracy on the high seas and the various forms of international terrorism, Mladenov also focused on Bulgaria's role in Afghanistan.

"Bulgaria's commitment to the future of Afghanistan is unfaltering. Because we understand that it is our joint obligation to bring security to this tortured country whose people deserve to be able to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that many of us have," he declared.  

Full text of the speech of Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov before the UN General Assembly READ HERE

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