President Clinton, opening the first-ever visit to this former communist nation by an American head of state, praised Bulgaria today for its commitment to democracy and progress in economic reform.

Bulgarian President Petar Soyanov meets the American President Bill Clinton at the Airport Sofia

"We are committed to supporting Bulgaria over the long run -- economically, politically, militarily,'' Clinton said during a photo-taking session with President Petar Stoyanov. "And I think we will be doing it for many years."

Bulgaria, which aspires to one day joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, supported NATO's air war over Kosovo by permitting U.S. and allied warplanes to fly over its territory. It also is supporting U.N. economic sanctions against Yugoslavia, a policy that has taken a heavy toll on the already weak Bulgarian economy.

"I'm very grateful for the support we received, that the allies received, during the conflict with Kosovo, and for the direction taken by Bulgaria under this president and this government," Clinton told reporters. He called Bulgaria a good example, also, of how a Balkan nation can build a democracy without the ethnic strife that has torn Yugoslavia apart.

Samuel Berger, the president's national security adviser, told reporters later that Clinton's talks with Kostov and Stoyanov made clear that Bulgaria views NATO membership as important to its political and economic future. "They hope very much that they will be part of a second wave of new members sometime in the next few years."

To start the official portion of his Bulgarian visit today, Clinton laid a wreath at a World War I memorial today and met with President Stoyanov.

President Clinton also held talks with Prime Minister Ivan Kostov

President Clinton also held talks with Prime Minister Ivan Kostov and was meeting with Parliament leader Yordan Sokolov, holding a roundtable discussion with Bulgarian youths and addressing the Bulgarian public in a speech in the cobblestoned Nevski Square.

Kostov told reporters that he raised with Clinton the issue of impediments to navigation on the Danube River caused by bomb debris from the Kosovo conflict. Bulgaria wants river transportation fully restored, but the Clinton administration has been reluctant to provide the financial aid to Milosevic's government that would be required.

Clinton's two-day visit is designed to underscore Bulgaria's progress in democracy following the collapse of communism in 1989, and to encourage the government to stay on its course toward closer relations with Europe and the United States.

Clinton privately offered encouragement to Bulgarian hopes to join NATO, a senior administration official said today. During his meeting with the prime minister, Clinton said "after the Kosovo conflict there is a more compelling case that can be made for NATO looking towards the nations of Southeast Europe in the next wave," of alliance expansion, the official said.

The western alliance has said it will consider new candidates in 2001.

Bulgaria's first fully democratic parliamentary elections were held in October 1991. Stoyanov, who was elected president in 1996, has steered the country to economic stabilization with lower inflation and free-market reforms.

Clinton is nearing the end of a 10-day European tour designed in part to promote democracy and ethnic tolerance in the Balkans. After World War II, in which it allied itself with Nazi Germany, Bulgaria turned to communism and became one of the Soviet Union's closest allies, although it did not have Soviet troops stationed on its territory.

After arriving in Sofia on Sunday evening, Clinton and daughter Chelsea spent two hours at the Tzar Ivan Assen II National Rotisserie restaurant. Four young women in traditional Bulgarian costume sang several Bulgarian folk songs for the presidential party and a hickory fire warmed the room. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had traveled with the president on earlier stops in Turkey, Greece and Italy, flew back to Washington on Sunday night.

US President Bill Clinton laid a wreath with an inscription "United States of America" at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier Monday.

Clinton lays a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia

Clinton started a three-day official visit to Bulgaria Sunday evening. Clinton was welcomed by Colonel General Miho Mihov, Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, wreath bearers from representative army units, and an army orchestra.

After a minute of silence in front of the monument, the guest left for the Bulgarian Presidency. Clinton's schedule includes a one-to-one talk with President Peter Stoyanov, to be followed by a meeting of the two countries' delegations.

Later in the day the US head of state is expected to meet with Prime Minister Ivan Kostov. Clinton will also hold a roundtable meeting with students of the American University of Blagoevgrad (Southwestern Bulgaria). In the afternoon, the guest will visit the National Assembly and will address a rally in front of the St Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia.

President Clinton: US Supports Bulgaria

President Clinton and President Stoyanov join the celebration of the 10th year of restoration of democracy in Bulgaria in Alexander Nevski Square in Sofia

The US supports Bulgaria's political, economic and military integration in the West European structures, US President Bill Clinton told journalists after meeting with Prime Minister Ivan Kostov Monday.

Clinton congratulated Bulgaria for its standing position during the Kosovo crisis. The US President acknowledged Bulgaria for its policy of tolerance to all ethnic groups living in this country.

President Clinton: "We Will Not Accept Two Separate
And Unequal Europes in 21st Century"

Fireworks exploding over the Alexander Nevski Cathedral after speaking in Alexander Nevski Square in Sofia

"We will not accept that there will be two separate and unequal Europes in the 21st century," US President Bill Clinton said, addressing the crowd around Sofia's St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Monday at a concert under the motto "10 Years of Democracy: Bulgaria Can!" He appeared on the platform together with Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov, Prime Minister Ivan Kostov, Sofia's Mayor Stefan Sofianski, Bulgarian Ambassador to the US Philip Dimitrov and other officials, including Clinton's aides and several US Congressmen. "We must and will keep NATO's doors open to the democracies which meet the criteria," the US President said. On behalf of the American people and Jewish people everywhere, Clinton expressed his gratitude to Bulgaria for helping its Jewish community survive World War II and the Holocaust, "one of the proudest moments in your history."

Remarks by the President and Bulgarian Prime Minister
Ivan Kostov in joint statements to the press

Council of Ministers Building Sofia, Bulgaria 12:50 P.M., Nov 22, 1999

PRIME MINISTER KOSTOV: I have just asked the President to say a few words before he goes out of the Council of Ministers; he was kind to respond, and I thank him for that.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first, I want to say again how pleased and honored I am to be in Bulgaria; and how strongly I support and admire the political, economic and military reforms that the government has undertaken; and how grateful I am for the support that Europe and the United States received during the recent difficulties in Kosovo. I think it is very important for the United States to support Bulgaria's aspirations for political, economic and military integration into the West, and to support the Stability Pact and the economic and political revitalization of all of Southeastern Europe. I would like to make one other point, which is that I am especially grateful for Bulgaria's policy and history of tolerance and cooperation among different groups of people within this country. If that had been the policy of Serbia in these last 10 years, we would be living in a very different and better time.

US President Bill Clinton expressed support for the Bulgarian Government's course of reforms and stressed the importance of the implementation of the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe.

President Clinton and President Stoyanov greeting the crowd in Alexander Nevski Square in Sofia

"I think it is very important for the United States to support Bulgaria's aspirations for political, military and economic integration into the West and to support the Stability Pact and the economic and political revitalization of all of Southeastern Europe," Clinton said.

"I want to say how strongly I support and admire the political, economic and military reforms that the Bulgarian Government has undertaken," the US Chief Executive said. He thanked Bulgaria for the support that Europe and the United States received from this country during the recent difficulties in Kosovo. He is also especially grateful for "Bulgaria's policy and history of tolerance and cooperation among different groups of people within this country. If that had been the policy of Serbia in these last fifteen years, we would have been living in a very different and better time," Clinton observed.

Remarks by President Clinton and Bulgarian President Peter Stoyanov in photo opportunity

The two Presidents had lively talks with the journalists

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Good morning.

Q How are you, Mr. President?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: I'm fine. I'm delighted to be here, very pleased.

Q Mr. President, the events in Chechnya in the last two days, has that raised doubts about the Russian commitment to a political dialogue?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, I think they made clear that they were going to try to continue their military offensive. What we've done at the OSCE is, it got them to agree that the internal affairs of Russia or any other country is a proper subject of world discussion and world opinion. We got them to agree to take the OSCE mission there - I think it's very important to do that. And I hope that we've gotten an increased amount of concern for civilian casualties. So we'll have to see; but I think it's very important we follow up on the commitments made earlier at the OSCE meeting in Istanbul.

Q Mr. President, Bulgarian national television. Are you going to discuss with our President different ways for compensating Bulgaria for our losses during the embargo against Yugoslavia and Iraq, about $10 billion?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, first of all, let me say I'm very grateful for the support we received, the allies received during the conflict in Kosovo, and for the direction taken by Bulgaria under this President and this government. And we are committed to supporting Bulgaria over the long run - economically, politically, militarily. And I think we will be doing it for many years and I'm looking forward to that.

Q Mr. President, in Kosovo tomorrow, will you urge ethnic Albanians to stop their reprisal attacks against Serbs?

President Clinton addresses the crowd in Alexander Nevski Square

PRESIDENT CLINTON: In Kosovo tomorrow I will make a very strong statement about the importance of everybody getting over this ethnic hatred and going beyond it. And we have all made a big commitment to Kosovo as an economic and political reconstruction. But I think it's very important that Kosovo, in effect, not become the mirror image of Serbia. It's hard not to, but it's important not to. And we'll keep working on it. But I wouldn't overreact to the stories, you know, and the facts - a lot of good things have happened there since the end of the war. And it hasn't been very long and there is a long, long history in Kosovo and throughout Serbia, throughout the Balkans, that we're trying to get beyond. Again, I'd say Bulgaria is a very good example of the direction we ought to take and I hope we can have a positive impact in Kosovo. I think we can.

PRESIDENT STOYANOV: It's important that we, through the American people, through the eyes of the American President, the American people will realize that the Bulgarian people have embarked upon a new road and chosen a new policy - that of democracy, of respect for human rights. And that, also, through its wonderful relations with all its neighbors and its excellent ethnic - the absence of ethnic problems whatsoever, Bulgaria will be an example of stability on this continent and will continue to be so.

Q Will you inform us if you discuss the issue of NATO bases in this country?

PRESIDENT STOYANOV: We'll inform you about anything with pleasure, with the greatest of pleasure.

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Thank you.

"I am very grateful for the support, which we and our allies received during the Kosovo conflict and for the line taken by Bulgaria, its President and Government," US President Bill Clinton told National Television.

"We are committed to support Bulgaria economically, politically and military in the future, as well," Clinton added. "I think we will keep rendering assistance in the course of many years and I am awaiting this process."

"The people of Bulgaria has set out on a new road of shared democratic values, of human freedom and dignity, of free market economy," said President Stoyanov. "With its good relations with all of its neighbors, with its lack of ethnic conflicts, Bulgaria may be a model for this part of the continent and will follow unswerving this path of development," said President Stoyanov.

Bulgaria-USA Presidents Meeting

The one-to-one talk between US President Bill Clinton and his Bulgarian counterpart Peter Stoyanov lasted for nearly one hour, surpassing expectations. Clinton started an official visit to Bulgaria Sunday evening.

"I told the US President that Bulgaria directly follows the track of democratic changes which involve the establishment of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and market economy. In this respect, there can be no alternatives in Bulgaria's position," Stoyanov told journalists after the talk and a subsequent meeting between the two delegations.

It is essential for Bulgaria to be invited to open EU accession negotiations; such an invitation would show understanding and support for the Government's efforts to persist in reform under dire circumstances, Stoyanov said.

The Bulgarian head of state emphasized that, unlike the other East European countries, in Bulgaria's way to Western Europe stands Yugoslavia with its past conflicts and wars. Thus, in addition to the typical problems of a normal post-communist reform, Bulgaria has to overcome other external difficulties.

"I stated that Bulgaria is ready to provide military infrastructure facilities to be used by NATO forces under the Partnership for Peace Agreement," Stoyanov said. Taking a journalist's question, he specified that the said facilities include airfields and ammunition storage.

During the meeting, Stoyanov set forth his stand on the possible deployment of US or NATO military bases in this country. According to Stoyanov, neither Bulgarian nor US sources have ever raised this issue. "However, if this issue is raised, even before Bulgaria's accession to NATO, as Bulgarian President I think that it should be carefully considered and Bulgaria should say 'yes.'"

Both Clinton and Stoyanov expressed their hope that the Pact will acquire more practical dimensions. Later on, Clinton started talks with Prime Minister Ivan Kostov.