Visiting Bulgaria, CIA chief Petraeus praises country’s efforts against terrorism, crime

Central Intelligence Agency director David Petraeus, who visited Bulgaria from June 5 to 7 2012, praised the Bulgarian Government’s efforts to combat terrorism, organised crime and corruption, the US embassy in Sofia said on June 7.

During Petraeus’s visit, he met Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, and Minister of Defence Anyu Angelov, as well as with each of the Bulgarian intelligence agency directors.

As a former commander of the US Central Command and the coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, General Petraeus expressed sincere appreciation for the impressive contributions Bulgaria has made in those countries, the US embassy said.

Petraeus also praised the quality of the Bulgarian forces with which he was privileged to serve in those missions and in the Balkans.

Petraeus “expressed his appreciation for–and commitment to increasing–the strong, cooperative intelligence relationships between the CIA and the Bulgarian intelligence services as they work together to capitalize on emerging opportunities and to counter common threats,” the embassy said.

He “applauded, in particular, the efforts of the Bulgarian Government to combat terrorism, organised crime, and corruption”.

Petraeus recognised, in addition, Bulgaria’s fiscal responsibility and discipline.

He said that the US “recognises and encourages” the important steps Bulgaria has taken to modernise and its efforts to diversify its sources of energy and to provide more transparency in the energy sector, as well as to promote security and stability in the Balkans.

“And he left Bulgaria very impressed by the overall visions articulated by the President and the Prime Minister,” the US embassy statement said.

“The Director recognises that the close partnership between the United States and Bulgaria is of great importance to both countries, and he looks forward to that partnership becoming even stronger in the intelligence and other spheres in the months and years that lie ahead,” the statement said.

 

(Photo: Central Intelligence Agency)