Japan-Bulgaria Foreign Ministers' Meeting

January 25, 2011
Japanese

On January 25 (Tue), from shortly after 11:00 a.m. for about one hour, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara held a Japan-Bulgaria foreign ministers' meeting with H.E. Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, who was accompanying Prime Minister of Bulgaria H.E. Mr. Boyko Borissov on his official working visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
During the Meeting, the two ministers signed on the exchange of notes for the last general cultural grant aid project between the two countries, "Veliko Tarnovo Konstantin Kisimov Dramatic Theater Musical Equipment Outfitting Project."

Bilateral Economic Relations

(1) Foreign Minister Maehara expressed his intention to strengthen the cooperation with Bulgaria, graduating from Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA), as partners that share fundamental values. Foreign Minister Mladenov expressed his gratitude for the support from Japan over so many years, and hoped to build a new relationship.

(2) Regarding solar power generation and wind power generation projects, which Japanese enterprises have been interested in, Foreign Minister Maehara requested the inprovement of investment environment in Bulgaria. Furthermore, he hoped a win-win relationship could be built by utilizing Japanese technology. Foreign Minister Mladenov declared that he would take further proactive measures on these issues, refering to the friendly relationship between the two countries.
Cooperation within Japan-Europe Frameworks and Cooperation in the International Community

(1) For the purpose of developing the two country's bilateral relationship as well, Foreign Minister Maehara requested to launch the negotiation on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) at Japan-EU Summit Meeting in this spring. Foreign Minister Mladenov expected there would be firm Bulgarian support for this if Japan would make progress on its non-tariff barriers. Foreign Minister Maehara said that he hoped the EU-side would make an appropriate evaluation on the progress made by Japanese side, as Japan would earnestly consider the requests from the EU.

(2) Both Foreign Ministers decided to continue the close cooperation in order to solve various international issues such as the early realization of the reform of the UN Security Council, denuclearization in North Korea In addition, the two ministers exchanged their views on international situation which both are interested in.

(END)

Back to Index