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Bulgaria, Afghanistan mull signing of migrants readmission agreement

Xinhua, December 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Afghan Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah discussed the signing of a bilateral readmission agreement in a telephone conversation on Thursday, according to officials here.

During the conversation, the two leaders expressed readiness for the development of bilateral relations, Bulgaria's Government Information Service said in a statement.

"Borissov stressed Bulgaria's commitment to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, but expressed concern about the growing number of migrants from the country," the statement said.

Borissov thanked Afghanistan for the assistance in the preparation of documents of Afghan citizens with pending status in the territory of Bulgaria, who have volunteered to be returned to their homeland, the statement said.

However, he requested the signing of a readmission agreement between Bulgaria and Afghanistan, which "would create a legal basis for a lasting settlement of such cases," the statement said.

It was agreed that interior and foreign ministers of both countries will begin work on the preparation of the document, it added.

Bulgaria is located on the most direct route to refugee flows from Turkey to central Europe.

According to data from the Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees, 23,256 Afghans sought asylum in Bulgaria since 1993, and 7,961 of them did it in the first ten months of 2016. Endit