Bulgaria should be proud of its efforts in Afghanistan because its own security closely tied to the situation in the Central Asian country, US Ambassador to Sofia John Beyrle told a round table on Thursday.

He praised the aid offered by Bulgaria to the Afghani government in putting down the warlords that control the opium trade - help that will have a direct impact on the health and well-being of its own citizens.

"With regard to Bulgaria, the major threats to security come from drugs and the export of violent ideological extremism and terrorism," Beyerle told the conference organised by the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria on NATO's security framework in Afghanistan.

"As opium production has risen in Afghanistan, Bulgarian officials have seen an increase in the amount of heroin smuggled across the country. The impact is clear: the heroin trade contributes to rising levels of addiction, crime, disease and death in this country," he added.

"It is essential that we maintain the unity and commitment of the NATO community to help the Afghan people complete the transition to liberty - a transition that I think Bulgarians have special reason to support."

Bulgaria has 400 servicemen in Afghanistan, their bulk ensuring security at the Kandahar airport, as well as several medical crews.

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