Bulgaria FM: Sofia Meeting Unites Syrian Opposition

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, Nikolay Mladenov, says that Bulgaria hosted the meeting of Syrian opposition because the deepening crisis there can threaten national security. Photo by BGNES

The meeting of the leaders of Syrian opposition and of representatives of different Syrian communities in Sofia was the best way to define the stand towards the civil war-torn country, says Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, Nikolay Mladenov.

Speaking in an interview for Nova TV Wednesday, Mladenov informed that Bulgarian diplomats worked hard for several months to organize the meeting, but did not announce it publically before being sure it would materialize.

"We had doubts such forum can happen. But the massacre in Houla sped the processes inside Syrian opposition. Serious progress was achieved at this meeting. They sat together, joined around common opinions and ideas, and are now ready to work together, to ask more firmly for the overthrow of those in power," said Bulgaria's top diplomat.

He stressed that the regime in Syria is the most brutal in the entire Middle East.

At least 32 children perished in Houla after troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad raided the town to disperse an anti-government demonstration on Friday. UN observers list the total number of victims at over 90.

Mladenov further explained that the situation in Syria is worsening and Bulgaria hosted the meeting of its opposition since the deepening crisis there can threaten national security and economic relations with the Middle East.

In addition to Bulgaria, another 9 States in Europe and the US and Australia have asked the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassies of Syria to leave in the wake of the Houla massacre, he announced, adding he expected many more countries to join in.

The Minister reported that the Bulgarian Embassy had been moved to Beirut from Damask for security reasons.

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