22.6.2011

WELCOME BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

TO MR NIKOLAY MLADENOV,

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF BULGARIA

STRASBOURG, Wednesday 22 June 2011, 3 pm

Dear Minister,

In welcoming you to this Chamber, I take the opportunity to thank you for your initiative to address the Parliamentary Assembly. Particularly at this crucial moment of reform of the Council of Europe, the strong personal involvement of the members of the Committee of Ministers and the dialogue and cooperation with the Assembly are of utmost importance for the future of our organisation.

Throughout your political career you have worked for the values and principles that the Council of Europe promotes – as a member of the Bulgarian parliament and then of the European parliament, as an election observer, as a consultant for the World Bank and several other international organisations and most recently as Defence Minister.

As Foreign Minister you have promoted an active and open policy, taking full advantage of Bulgaria’s important geostrategic position. Bulgaria, as a member of the European Union and NATO can greatly assist the countries from the Western Balkans in their Euro-Atlantic integration and thus bring more stability and prosperity to the region. It also plays a dynamic and constructive role in its relations with its other neighbours and in the Black Sea region.

In the light of our discussions this week in the Assembly on the so-called “Arab spring”, I wish to give a particular mention to your recent initiative to organise the Sofia Platform, dedicated to the lessons that the emerging democracies in the Arab world can draw from the transition in Eastern Europe.

Dear Minister, I am sure that my fellow parliamentarians are eager to hear your address and put you questions to you. Thank you again for this opportunity to share your thoughts with us. You have the floor.