[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H1496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING BULGARIA'S MEMBERSHIP IN NATO

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express 
my support for the expansion of NATO to include the Republic of 
Bulgaria and to welcome Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-
Gotha to America.
  An April article in The Washington Times notes that U.S. Ambassador 
to NATO, Nicholas Burns, was impressed by Bulgaria's reforms during his 
visit to Sofia. A recent Washington Post editorial noted Bulgaria has 
already assisted America and Afghanistan and can make substantial 
contributions for Europe as a member of NATO.
  I commend the efforts of patriots like Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-
Coburg-Gotha, Ambassador Elena Poptodorova, Foreign Minister Solomon 
Pasi, Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov, Deputy Chief of Mission Emil 
Yalnazov, and Ambassador Stefan Stoyanov for continuing important 
reforms.
  I was an observer of Bulgaria's first democratic elections in 1990, 
and I have witnessed the progress of Bulgaria's democracy. Bulgaria is 
strategically located, and would enhance NATO for the mutual defense of 
southeastern Europe.

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