SOFIA, Bulgaria - The commander of Joint Force Command Naples met with senior Bulgarian officials and NATO's Force Integration Unit here July 10, 2018.
While visiting the Bulgarian capital, U.S. Navy Admiral James Foggo discussed topics related to the July 11-12 NATO Summit with the Minister of Defence, Mr. Krasimir Karakachanov, and the Chief of Defence, Army General Andrey Botsev.
Admiral Foggo thanked the Bulgarians for their contributions to the NATO's Strategic Direction South Hub located at JFC Naples, and their prospective contributions the NATO Mission Iraq.
As part of the July 11-12 NATO Summit in Brussels, NATO's Secretary General declared the Hub at full capability, and announced the NATO Mission Iraq.
"We would be delighted if Bulgaria could contribute with its experience for instance in providing mobile training teams on maintaining Soviet-era military equipment to help Iraq," Foggo said.
Focusing on the Bulgarian contribution to recent NATO exercises and activities and Bulgaria's announcement to support the Alliance's engagement to support the regions next to its south and southeast borders, the officials agreed that protection and security are the preconditions for economic investments.
"The Bulgarian people accept the Alliance's presence in terms of common military exercises and activities in the Black Sea," Karakachanov said.
Subsequently the Commander of the Bulgarian Joint Force Command, Army Lieutenant General Lyubcho Todorov, welcomed Admiral Foggo at its Sofia's Headquarters to brief him on current subjects.
Foggo's visit to Sofia concluded with a call to NATO's Force Integration Unit co-located at the Bulgarian Joint Force Command where the Admiral underlined its importance in coordinating troop deployments in the region. The NFIU first proved itself during NATO's Exercise Noble Jump in June 2017, which deployed NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force through northern Greece, Bulgaria and Romania.
Story by JFC Naples Public Affairs Office