Vice-president Margarita Popova’s visit to Japan ended with an audience given by His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Naruhito. The Bulgarian vice-president’s visit to Tokyo was on the occasion of the 55th anniversary since the diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Japan were resumed.
“Such a top-level visit was necessary so that we could highlight other spheres of bilateral cooperation apart from the spheres in which we have always achieved good results. Undoubtedly, the results in the culture, science and education sectors have always been good,” the Vice-president said in reply to a journalist’s question after the audience was over.
Japan is a partner, who can be very useful not only for strengthening Bulgaria’s relations with Asian partners, but also who seeks to establish the appropriate contacts in the European Union in the spheres of economy and innovations, Margarita Popova was adamant.
“We have signed an agreement in the economy sector and we are trying to encourage the contacts between the small and medium-sized enterprises,” the Vice-president said. She emphasized that it was confirmed that Japan considers its relations with Bulgaria very important not only at the meetings held at the level of parliaments, but also in her talks with the prime minister. “Tokyo is willing to strengthen its relations with the EU, and its bilateral relations with the EU member states,” Margarita Popova said.
“Although Japan maintains active contacts with the big European countries – France, Germany, Great Britain, it is very important that it comes to know the smaller countries as well,” the Vice-president said. This was the main message Margarita Popova conveyed at the meetings she held in Tokyo and she thinks that the relations with Bulgaria are an extremely important step in this direction. During the talks the common willingness to expand the bilateral cooperation in the spheres of innovation, defense and security was reiterated.
Margarita Popova defined as active the policy pursued by Shindzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, which is aimed at ensuring real peace throughout the world, and which is in line with Bulgaria’s ambition to develop the good-neighborly relations with its partners, based on mutually-beneficial cooperation and respect.