FM Neynsky reaffirmed Bulgaria’s position that the country will support all efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to free navigation, but will firmly neither support nor take part in any use of force to achieve that common goal.
Caretaker Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Nadezhda Neynsky took part, together with colleagues from more than 30 countries worldwide, in a video conference organized by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on the need for urgent measures and action to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Neynsky reaffirmed Bulgaria’s position that the country will support all efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to free navigation, but will firmly neither support nor take part in any use of force to achieve that common goal.
During the meeting, participants condemned Iran’s indiscriminate attacks against Gulf countries and the wider Middle East region, as well as Tehran’s actions to block and mine the Strait of Hormuz, which have led to a sharp rise in oil and energy prices and had a strongly negative impact on the global economy, the Foreign Ministry’s press center said. It added that interest was expressed in Bahrain’s efforts to negotiate a new UN Security Council resolution building on Resolution No. 2817, as well as in the UN Secretary-General’s initiative to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with a focus on fertilizers and critical raw materials. All participants stressed that Iran must comply with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Neynsky expressed full solidarity and support for the Gulf states, condemning Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels. She underlined Bulgaria’s support for applying diplomatic pressure on Iran, as well as for Bahrain’s efforts to negotiate a new resolution in the UN Security Council.
The foreign minister also pointed to the importance of using all possible diplomatic channels to de-escalate the situation, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ensure freedom of navigation, which would help limit the negative consequences for the global economy. | BGNES