Bulgaria and NATO Sign a Declaration for Concluding Integration Program into NATO

September 28, 2011 defpro.com

September 27th, General Simeon Simeonov, Chief of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria, and Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, signed a Declaration for concluding the Program for Integration of BU Armed Forces into NATO.

"The Declaration we signed today is a confirmation that Bulgaria has accomplished the Integration Plan objectives. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria have gone through a period of comprehensive transformation. We have brought our regulations and procedures in line with those of NATO," Defence Chief General Simeon Simeonov said in his address. He emphasized that the experience gathered by the Bulgarian Army will be of great importance to future joint activities and cooperation.

"The Bulgarian declared units have gone through intensive training in order to achieve interoperability with NATO forces. The certification and affirmation process has proved their readiness to participate in NATO operations. During the last several years the Bulgarian Armed Forces managed to create a pool of sufficient number of evaluators capable of conducting both national certification and NATO affirmation. Their experience is of great importance to our efforts to enhance the training of the Bulgarian declared units and make it more efficient and effective. With these units, as part of a single set of forces, Bulgaria has been successfully participating in NATO, UN and EU operations," General Simeonov added.

In turn, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, said, "You have demonstrated the requisite operational capabilities necessary for inclusion in the NATO Force Structure and Integrated Air Defense System. We are honored to sign the "Declaration on the Bulgarian Armed Forces' Integration into NATO"," emphasized Admiral Locklear. "We are confident that the affirmation of Bulgarian units and their addition to the NATO Pool of Forces will increase the Alliance's operational capability and significantly contribute to regional and global security," Admiral Locklear pointed out.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Anu Anguelov met with Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Minister Anguelov underlined that the accomplishment of the objectives of integration and interoperability of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria into NATO is a result of the good interaction we have had for many years now. He introduced his guest to the documents, recently adopted by the National Assembly: the new National Defence Strategy, the White Paper on Defence, as well as with the Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces, elaborated on the basis of the Defence Strategy and the White Paper. Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III thanked our country for the participation of the Bulgarian military in ISAF, the deployment of the Drazki frigate to support the embargo of Libya, and the conduct of the annual Exercise BREEZE, which has improved interoperability among NATO units in the Black Sea.

Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, USN, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples was received earlier today with full military honors at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.

• The full text of the addresses of General Simeonov can be found at http://goo.gl/9FjON (PDF, 81KB).

• The full text of the addresses of Admiral Samuel J. Locklear can be found at http://goo.gl/ACdF6 (PDF, 89KB).