Within a single day we met with our geostrategic partners from the U.S. and our neighbors. And we have all achieved understanding and projects that bring prosperity, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told reporters after returning from Istanbul, where he participated in the opening ceremony of the Turkish Stream pipeline.

Today is an important day for Bulgarian-US relations, a strategic day for the next 10 years at least, and this is happening in turbulent times, Prime Minister Borissov said after the first session of the Bulgaria-US Strategic Dialogue, which was held earlier in the day.

It was on this day that actions were set out - not words, but actions, in order for Bulgaria to remain on the map of Europe's gas distribution system and have a strategic position. The most important thing that people will first feel is that after President Trump called for work towards lifting the visa regime with Bulgaria, work has already started.

Asked by the media about the situation in the Middle East, the Bulgarian Prime Minister said he supported peace and diplomatic solutions. According to him, it was important to keep the lives of innocent people and to stop the military conflicts.

Peace is extremely important for the region as it only brings prosperity. Our country has never pursued a policy of animosity against other countries. Only peace could solve the problems in the Middle East, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said.

Earlier, at his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, PM Boyko Borissov pointed out that Bulgaria appreciated highly Turkey's contribution to solving migration issues and identified the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016 as crucial.

Diplomacy and peace must remain at the forefront of solving a number of problems. We are all interested in building a future that is based on stability, security and prosperity, Prime Minister Borissov said during the meeting.

Turkey is our neighbor, an ally in NATO and our key partner in the areas of migration, security, counter-terrorism, energy, agriculture. I made a commitment to enlarge the border checkpoints of Andreevo and Lesovo like we did with the Kalotina border checkpoint, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov added.

Asked by media about the attitude of the three presidents whom he spoke to in Istanbul - Recep Erdogan, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Vucic, the Bulgarian Prime Minister pointed out:

They consider me a friend, as well as a friend of Trump and a friend of Brussels. Because each of my actions is guided firstly by the interests of Bulgaria and secondly by the community we have accepted to be part of - the EU and NATO.

English: Alexander Markov