Bulgaria wants to participate in US missile defence shield: PM

(SOFIA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Friday he favoured Sofia's participation in a new US missile defence system in Europe if this is also approved by the European Union.

Asked about Bulgaria's stance on the system, Borisov said: "As a NATO member, we take into consideration everything that concerns Europe's security and will undertake the respective measures."

"In my view, we have to show solidarity (with US plans) but Bulgaria's position will depend on parliament and the position of the European Union," Borisov added in remarks to journalists Friday.

"If you are a NATO member, you have to work for collective security," he said.

US ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick also hinted in a public lecture Friday that Washington was open for talks with Sofia on the issue.

"There is a role for Bulgaria to play in missile defence, precisely what that is will be in part determined by the interest of the Bulgarian government," he said.

He added that the United States was "at a very early stage of discussion" both with Bulgaria and other countries in the region.

"At this stage we would like to consult and to talk through what the possibilities might be and this will happen at the technical level and also at the policy level," Warlick said.

"But given Bulgaria's expressed interest to date, its georgraphy and its cooperation with us in other areas, we hope that the discussions on missile defence will continue and will be productive," he added.

Warlick said the US vision for a missile defence system in Europe was "based on an assessment of the missile threat from Iran and the Middle East."

The new system will "feature deployments of increasingly capable sea- and land-based missile interceptors and a range of sensors in Europe to defend against growing ballistic missile threats," he added.

Warlick played down Russian fears about the system by reiterating US President Barack Obama's statement that America wanted "a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Russia."

"Our belief has always been - and it remains - that Russia's legitimate need for security is best served not by having weak, fractious, and impoverished states on its borders -- but rather by having peaceful, prosperous, and democratic neighbours,"Warlick said.

"The United States will not ask the Bulgarian government or people to choose between Moscow and Washington," he added.