NEWS

Rumen Radev Held a Meeting with Shinzo Abe: Investments, Trade, Innovations and Research are Priorities in Our Relations with Japan

“We are extremely happy to welcome you in our country. We highly appreciate this first in the history of our bilateral relations visit of a Japanese Prime Minister to Bulgaria, particularly during this important for our country year, when Bulgaria has taken over the rotational Presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time.” This is what Head of State Rumen Radev said, who held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at 2 Dondukov street today.

President Radev pointed out that Japan is Bulgaria’s traditional friend and priority partner with which we share the same values and hold similar positions on important international issues.

At the talks the two shared the opinion that Prime Minister Abe’s current important visit to Bulgaria will raise the level of bilateral relations, will be an impetus to expanding the business contacts, and will boost the cooperation in all spheres of mutual interest, particularly in the sphere of economy and investments. “Our priority in the bilateral relations is tapping the considerable potential for investments, trade, innovations, science and technologies, since Bulgaria is becoming an increasingly more attractive destination for doing business,” Rumen Radev said and voiced hope that a growing number of Japanese companies will implement high added value projects in Bulgaria.

“Japan supports united Europe and we are happy that one of the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU is promoting the Western Balkan countries’ European prospects, and improving the transport and communication connectivity in the region,” the Japanese Prime minister said at the meeting. President Radev, for his part, welcomed the interest shown by Japan in the countries in the region and added that the connectivity between the countries in the research projects is also of great importance.

At the meeting, the Bulgarian Head of State and the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed the key importance of maintaining the legal order based on democracy, freedom and the rule of law. “We are following closely and with concern the situation in North Korea.  Bulgaria strongly condemns the North Korean nuclear program and calls for stopping these tests,” Rumen Radev said and pointed out that in his opinion the issue can be solved only through negotiations and dialogue.

The two called for further promoting the rich educational exchange based on the cooperation between institutions and universities from the two countries. “The exchange of students and high technologies is extremely important to us and we are grateful for the annually awarded Japanese state scholarships for the education of Bulgarian undergraduate and postgraduate students,” President Radev said.

Japan is planning to increase the number of scholarships which are awarded for research exchange. This is prompted by the celebrations of the 110^th anniversary of the first official bilateral contacts, the 80^th anniversary of establishing and 60^th anniversary of restoring the diplomatic relations, events which are forthcoming in 2019. The two shared the opinion that these two anniversaries should be marked in the appropriate way, including by a cultural program and the exchange of top-level visits.

The ascending development of the strategic partnership between the EU and Japan was also discussed at the talks. “As President of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2018, Bulgaria is ready to continue playing a constructive role in the EU-Japan dialogue and to promote the close cooperation and coordination on important international and regional issues,” Rumen Radev further said.

Rumen Radev thanked Shinzo Abe for the considerable support Japan provided during our country’s transition to democracy and market economy.