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Bulgarian, Polish presidents urge NATO to strengthen eastern flank of Europe

Xinhua, April 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and his visiting Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda here on Monday said NATO has to increase the number of its forces in the Central and Eastern Europe.

"NATO undoubtedly has to increase its military presence in the region," Plevneliev said at a joint press conference after bilateral talks.

"We share this priority, and as you see we have conducted on a rotational basis not one or two joint exercises and trainings in the region," Plevneliev said.

Meanwhile, NATO has simultaneously activated its Force Integration Units in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania, which would contribute to the strengthening of collective security of the East, Plevneliev said.

Duda, who paid a one-day official visit to the Balkan country, echoed that NATO should show its solidarity when there is a security problem.

Unfortunately, these things were visible in "our part of the world" in recent years, and NATO should adequately respond to all the emerging challenges, Duda said.

Therefore, he and Plevneliev had no doubt that it was necessary to strengthen the potential and increase the number of NATO forces on the eastern flank of Europe, Duda said. Enditem