Subject: Ta nea toy BTA 13-Feb-95[*] Ta nea apo thn Presbeia ths Boylgarias sthn Washington, D.C. . O Proedros ths Boylgarias Z. Zhelev brisketai se epishmh episkech stis HPA. Kata thn episkech toy ua synanthuei me ton Proedro twn HPA, ajiwmatoyxoys ths Kybernhshs, melh toy DNT, ekproswpoys etaireiwn kai oikonomikwn organismwn. * H efhmerida "Troud" exei apokleistikh synenteyjh me ton Proedro ths Boylgarias. Sthn synenteyjh o Zhelev anaferei oti "...oi [...] xwres ths Anatolikhs Eyrwphs exoyn thn eykairia na doylecoyn me mia megalh koinothta sthn opoia anhkoyn kai oi HPA kai elpizei oti h Rwssia ua ginei meros [ths koinothtas]". Epishs anefere oti " oi HPA mporoyn na bohuhsoyn thn Boylgaria oikonomika kai stratiwtika...". . Eyxaristhmenh apo ta sxedia ths kybernhshs ths Boylgarias gia thn oikonomia emeine h antiproswpos ths Dieunoys Trapezas sthn Boylgaria. . Kanadezikos organismos ua dwsei $200 xiliades gia thn anaptyjh xrhmatisthrioy sthn Sofia. . Synanthsh toy Ispanoy Presbh me ton Yp. para ton Prou. * Stratiwtikh apostolh apo thn Albania episkeptetai thn Boylgaria. Ua syzhthuoyn uemata stratiwtikhs synergasias. . Synanthsh toy neoy Galloy Presbh me ton Prou. Z. Videnov. . Sygxarhthria epistolh apo ton Warren Christopher pros ton Yp.Ej. ths Boylgarias. . Symfwna me thn efhmerida "Pari" anamenetai nea symfwnia me thn Dieunh Trapeza kai to DNT. . Se 26 etaireies douhke adeia ejagwghs arniwn pros tis xwres-melh ths EE. Giwrgos Kapodistrias ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: bulgaria@access.digex.net (Embassy of Bulgaria) Subject: BTA inf/ Feb. 13, 95 Date: 13 Feb 1995 16:13:52 -0500 EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C. BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY BULLETIN OF NEWS FROM BULGARIA FEBRUARY 13, 1995 February 12 - "We expect a lot from the visit to the United States but what we shall achieve will become clear after the talks, which will focus on financial and economic issues, scientific and technical cooperation, multilateral cooperation under NATO as well as with the international financial organizations," President Zhelev said this morning before his departure to the United States. President Zhelev said that the declaration, which is expected to be signed between Bulgaria and the US, will be in the form of an inter governmental treaty. "A treaty outlines the general framework of cooperation in various fields and is completed by more concrete agreements, while the declaration which we expect to sign rather states the two countries' intentions and readiness to cooperate," President Zhelev said. The program of President Zhelev's three-day official working visit to the US envisages a number of events. He will meet with US President Bill Clinton and with senior executive and legislative officials. Dr. Zhelev will have talks with Secretary of State Warren Cristopher, Defense Secretary William Perry, Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and with IMF Managing Director Michell Camdessus. The Bulgarian President will attend the ceremony at the Holocaust National Museum in Washington in honor of the Bulgarian people and their contribution for saving the Jewish community in Bulgaria during World War II. Dr. Zhelev will have a number of meetings with business representatives, managers of big corporations and financial groups. The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Roumen Gechev, Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski and Defense Minister Dimiter Pavlov. Dr. Zhelev is accompanied by his wife Mrs. Maria Zheleva. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PRESIDENT ZHELEV INTERVIEWED Under the headline "In the US I will defend national interests and not introduce the new cabinet of the BSP", "Troud" runs an extensive interview with President Zhelyu Zhelev on the eve of his official working visit to the US. The President described the Washington-Moscow dilemma as "false", though frequently raised over the past few years. According to President Zhelev, the small and medium European states now have the chance of working in a large community to which the US belongs and which he hopes Russia will also join. The US can help Bulgaria in many areas, Dr. Zhelev said. According to him, these include the financial sphere above all through its influence in the IMF, the World Bank and G-24, and military cooperation, an area in which the two countries have already signed some agreements. The schedule of the visit provides for meetings with the Secretary of Trade, at the World Bank, at the US Chamber of Commerce and with representatives of the business circles, the President adds. President Zhelev explained the inclusion of three ministers of the Socialist Cabinet in his delegation with the need to negotiate and sign documents within the competence of the Government. "I cannot choose the cabinet of this country. (...) It is my duty and the duty of the Government to work for Bulgaria," the President said. Asked whether he is expecting a conflict with the Socialists on foreign political issues, President Zhelev said this would be possible in the presence of irreconcilable differences on major issues with the cabinet. However, at present Bulgaria does not need confrontation but constructive cooperation between the institutions "on the basis of the Constitution and within their powers", the President stressed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WORLD BANK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEES FINE PROSPECTS The new Bulgarian Government's economic plans provide a solid basis for cooperation with the international financial institutions, said Mrs. Eveline Herfkens, Executive Director of the World Bank representing Bulgaria, after conferring today with ministers holding economic portfolios in the Bulgarian Cabinet. This morning she held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development Minister Roumen Gechev and with Finance Minister Dimiter Kostov. After her meetings Mrs. Herfkens said that it was important for her to find out from the Government what their priorities would be and how far the World Bank would be involved in the implementation of this program. She was pleased with the information she had received on the Government's economic intentions and found them a fine basis for cooperation with the World Bank. She had been assured that the program and the budget will be ready shortly. Mrs. Herfkens sees the basic understanding of the directions in which the economic reform should be pursued as the beginning of fruitful cooperation between the new Cabinet and the World Bank. The World Bank official also conferred with Trade and Foreign Economic Cooperation Minister Kiril Tsochev who familiarized her with the Government's plans to increase electricity and heat-power prices. Energy problems received particular attention at their session. Mrs. Herfkens said that the World Bank will continue to assist this sector which is important for Bulgaria. President Zhelyu Zhelev presented Mrs. Eveline Herfkens with the Order of the Madara Horseman First Class which was conferred on her for her services to the promotion of cooperation between Bulgaria and the World Bank. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CANADA OFFERS SUPPORT TO SOFIA CAPITAL EXCHANGE Ottawa, February 11 - As a result of the working visit to Canada of representatives of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) the Sofia capital exchange will receive for its development 200,000 US dollars, it was made clear late last night. The funds are to be granted by the Montreal-based International Institute for Financial Services, and the concrete program will be under way already in March when experts of the international institute will visit Sofia. "Our visit pursued chiefly investigative goals," BIA Chairman Bozhidar Danev told BTA. "The fact that we reached some concrete agreements, however, testifies about the great prospects for expansion of cooperation with Canadian organizations and companies," he said. Another result from the delegation's meetings at a federal level and in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec is the program for strategic planning of the Bulgarian economy, realized by the Canadian "Isogroup" consultants and partly financed by the Canadian Foreign Ministry. A principal agreement was reached on providing leasing lines of credit by the Association of Canadian Producers. According to Mr. Danev, the key obstacle to the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries so far was the absence of any kind of business information about Bulgaria. The visit of the BIA is the first serious attempt on part of Bulgaria to establish lasting partnership with Canadian trading institutions and familiarize the Canadian businesses with trade and investment prospects in Bulgaria. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FRIDAY NEWS BRIEFS Doncho Konakchiev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Construction, received Spanish Ambassador in Sofia Jorge Fuentes Monzonis- Villalonga. The Deputy Prime Minister confirmed the Government's resolution to continue reforms in the country and promote international relations. The Spanish Ambassador expressed his assurance that today's meeting is the beginning of a long and constructive cooperation between the two countries in urbanization and regional administration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ An Albanian delegation headed by Maj. Gen. Agim Baruti, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Army, will be visiting Bulgaria from February 13 through 15. The sides will discuss the results of cooperation in the military sphere and will outline the prospects for its further advancement. A plan for military cooperation in 1995 is expected to be signed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Prime Minister Zhan Videnov received France's newly appointed Ambassador to Bulgaria Marcel Tremeau. Ambassador Tremeau handed the PM a message of greetings from French PM Edouard Balladur. The sides praised the good relations between the two countries. According to Ambassador Tremeau, the purpose of his mission and his personal ambition is to contribute to the promotion of French- Bulgarian relations and provide assistance in Bulgaria's integration with the European structures. He praised Bulgaria's foreign policy pursued in regard to the Balkans. PM Videnov thanked for the message of greetings and expressed his assurance that Bulgaria's relations with France and the European Union would continue their successful development. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski received congratulations from US Secretary of State Warren Christopher on his election to the post, BTA was told by the Office of the Foreign Ministry's Spokesman. In his letter Mr. Christopher says that Bulgaria and the United States have identical interests, as far as the problems in the Balkans are concerned, expresses his support for Bulgaria's expanded participation in the international and the European organizations and states his assurance that Bulgaria's participation in the world economic organizations will open new prospects for development. According to the letter, the American public has been making enormous efforts for the development of bilateral relations based on programs for cooperation in education, business contacts and the public sphere. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bulgaria has every ground to believe that it can conclude new agreements with the IMF and the World Bank, "Pari" quotes Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Roumen Gechev as saying. He does not rule out debates during the visit here by representatives of the international financial institutions next week, but sees no cause for concern. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twenty-six companies have been licensed to export lambs and meat to the European Union member states, the dailies report. They were selected from among 73 applicants by a Trade Ministry competition for the distribution of the EU quota for sheep and goat exports in 1995, 1,904 t of live animals and 1,192 t of meat. A contract with a foreign contractor, guaranteed payment and export in 1994 were among the main selection criteria. ==============================================================================