US Air Force General Mark Welsh III has praised the cooperation between the Bulgarian Air Force and the military of the USA and NATO.

Gen. Welsh, who currently serves as the 34th Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and as Commander, Allied Air Command Ramstein, Germany, arrived in Bulgaria Thursday for meetings with the Bulgarian Defense Ministry.

He was received by Defense Minister Gen. Anyu Angelov, Head of Defense Gen. Simeon Simeonov, and commander of the Bulgarian Air Force Maj. Gen. Konstantin Popov.

"I would like to thank Gen. Simeonov and Maj. Gen. Popov about their warm hospitality. In my capacity of commander of the US Air Force in Europe, I am proud of our relations, and confirming my commitment to maintaining and strengthening further the partnership with our Bulgarian friends," Gen. Walsh said, as cited by the press service of the Defense Ministry.

"My team and I are eager to work with the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Air Force in our quest for new opportunities to develop our partnership," Gen. Welsh declared.

Bulgaria's Defense Minister Anyu Angelov has pointed out that the joint military drills between Bulgaria and the USA are helpful for boosting the capacity of the Bulgarian armed forces in a time of budget constraints.

Earlier on Thursday, the commander of the US Air Force in Europe was welcomed by the head of the Bulgarian Air Force Maj. Gen. Konstantin Popov.

Welsh has stressed the importance of the Plan for Long-term Cooperation between the Air Force of Bulgaria and the USA and the Air Policing tasks within NATO's integrated air defense system.

According to the Bulgarian Defense Ministry, Welsh has evaluated highly the results of the joint drills between the Bulgarian Air Force and the US Air Force in Europe.

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