THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
“BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – THE END OF A HISTORIC NATO MISSION”
WAS OPENED AT RAKOVSKI DEFENSE AND STAFF COLLEGE

The sixth international scientific conference on lessons learned “ Bosnia and Herzegovina – the end of a NATO mission” was opened at Rakovski Defense and Staff College on 13 May 2008 . It was organized by the Center for Military History and Lessons Learned at the National Security and Defense Faculty in the Defense College under the patronage of the Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army General Zlatan Stoykov.

The Deputy Commandant for academics and research, Colonel Georgi Bahchevanov – Professor, Doctor of military sciences – opened the Conference. “It is my pleasure that the Conference is being attended not only by experts from the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army and the Ministry of Defense, but also by participants from nine countries – the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Latvia, Romania, Serbia and Macedonia”, said the Chief of the Center for Military History and Lessons Learned, Colonel Stancho Stanchev, Senior research fellow, Doctor of sciences.

At the Second Annual Conference of the Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies institutes in 1999, it was suggested that an international working group on lessons learned with NATO and PfP representatives be established. The US Army Lessons Learned Center had the initiative. “The aim of the working group was and still remains the exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience in the preparation, training and analysis of the results of NATO multinational support missions”, emphasized in his welcome speech the First Deputy of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army, Vice Admiral Emil Ljutzkanov.

The forum was attended by the MoD International Cooperation Director, Mr. Yordan Bozhilov, and the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, His Excellency Mr. Hamdija Yahich. The international scientific conference is conducted in support of the efforts to enhance the cooperation with leading Bulgarian and foreign military and civilian research institutions, and to study and analyze the experience of armed formations in international peacekeeping. The Conference was also attended by military experts, research fellows and scientists, representatives of Bulgarian universities and institutes, officers from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, and from non-governmental organizations.