The US missile defense shield will cover the entire territory of Europe, including all Bulgaria, according to US Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher.

Tauscher, who is in charge of arms control and international security affairs at the US State Department, has made the statement Monday, during a meeting in Washington DC with a group of Members of the European Parliament, including former Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ivaylo Kalfin.

The Undersecretary confirmed the new American concept is to cover the entire territory of the Old Continent with all Bulgarian Regions, which were not included in the earlier draft.

Tauscher further informed that talks between Washington and partners in Eastern Europe are in an advanced stage and the exact location of the radars is being ironed out at the moment.

The meeting also included a discussion about the reform of NATO and about disarmament.

Former US Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, Commander of the US Army Forces Command and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, was also present at the meeting.

Powell voiced the opinion of the US Administration, recently expressed by Defense Secretary, Robert Gates that Europe must be more active in NATO's missions in order to have its stability guaranteed in the future.