OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Welcoming Bulgaria into NATO

Date: March 31, 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security


WELCOMING BULGARIA INTO NATO -- (House of Representatives - March 31, 2004)

(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. Mr. Speaker, on Monday there was a historic ceremony at the White House where President George W. Bush welcomed Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, and Latvia into NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

I am particularly pleased of Bulgaria's entry as they are rapidly rising from decades of communist totalitarianism, which I have seen firsthand since my first visit to Sofia in June 1990. Bulgaria has been one of America's most courageous allies in the war on terrorism, providing troops for the liberation campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I want to personally thank the visionary Bulgarian patriots who have worked so hard to make today possible, including Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha, President Georgi Parvanov, Ambassador Elena Poptodorova, Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi, Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov, Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov, Deputy Chief of Mission Emil Yalnazov, Ambassador Stefan Stoyanov, and Congressional Liaison Officer Zlatin Krastev.

In conclusion, may God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

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