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Facing global terror together

Op-ed: Ahead of Israel visit, Bulgarian FM says countries will not allow terrrosits to dictate agenda

On September 11th the governments of Bulgaria and Israel will come together for the second time to chart our ever-expanding relationship. This meeting comes a year after our first session in Sofia and more than a month after the hideous terrorist attack at Sarafovo airport. As we mourn the lives lost, our governments will send a strong message about our resolve to fight terrorism and to denounce political and religious extremism. We will not rest until those who have perpetrated and masterminded this attack are brought to justice.

 

Our security services, with the cooperation of our friends and allies – the US, UK and others - work day and night to amass the evidence needed to bring the perpetrators to justice. We will doggedly pursue the investigation wherever it may lead and stand up for what is right and just. But neither Bulgaria nor Israel will allow terrorists to change our agenda. We are strong and proud nations that stand to benefit from working together and have much to contribute to our neighborhoods.

 

The Bulgarian people and the Jewish people have lived side-by-side for centuries. Next year we will jointly commemorate the 70th anniversary of a rare example of non-submission to the Nazi Final Solution - the rescue of the almost 50,000-strong Bulgarian Jewish Community. There are many lessons to be drawn from the events back then, particularly against the backdrop of present-day attempts to deny the Holocaust and revive anti-Semitism.

 

Our friendship is based not only on our history, but also on the opportunities for development and prosperity that it presents for the future. Our scientists work together to push the boundaries of knowledge. Israeli and Bulgarian medical teams save lives. Our military and security forces train together. Ninety-two Bulgarian firemen were the first to help during the Carmel fire disaster last year and we are now embarking on strengthening our cooperation in emergency services. Our business communities are creating jobs and generating growth in our economies. Israeli tourists continue to enjoy the beauty of Bulgaria’s nature and rich history. Our cooperation in modern agriculture, education and innovation are the next tasks at hand.

 

Bulgaria’s relationship with Israel is not at the expense of anyone else. It is an essential part of the expanding EU-Israel relations and is part of Europe's overall policy in the Middle East. We have a strong relationship with the Palestinian people and our voice has always been firmly in support of credible peace, achieved through direct negotiations that lead to a viable two-state solution. In our meeting tomorrow we will speak about the challenges that we see internationally: Our concerns with Iran’s nuclear activity, the stalemate in the Middle East Peace Process, the bloodbath that is Syria, the rise of extremism, the global financial crisis, the Arab Awakening and more.

 

Having gone through a transition from dictatorship to democracy, Bulgaria has a lot of sympathy for the challenges that many Arab countries face today. This is why Bulgaria set up the Sofia Platform to help Arab transition avoid some of the pitfalls of change but also strengthen the hand of those who want to see their countries modernized, not radicalized. Long term stability and security can only come if they are based on democratic representation, strong institutions, the protection of human rights, and the rule of law. We believe that it is in the interest of Bulgaria and Israel, of Palestinians and Arabs, of Europe and the United States that these be the foundations of the future Middle East.

 

So as we come together on the eve of Rosh Hashana, an auspicious time for renewal and hope, as we pay tribute to the victims of terror, the message is clear – we stand together to benefit our people, to contribute to the development of our countries and regions, to protect ourselves from the risks of terror and stand up to global challenges.

 

Nicolai Mladenov is the foreign minister of Bulgaria

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.10.12, 17:57
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