Minister of Defense

President Rumen Radev of Republic of Bulgaria received here today Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir who conveyed to him the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense, SPA

Britain and Japan will pledge closer cooperation on Thursday on defense, cyber security and counter-terrorism as Prime Minster Theresa May looks to strengthen relations with one of her closest allies ahead of Brexit, reported Reuters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved the new cabinet in which 14 ministers out of 19 were replaced. The ministers that keep their posts are the closest associates of the head of state. They are Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, Secretary General of the Cabinet Yoshihide Sugga and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Seko. Reports BGNES. 

An Interior Ministry report completed last week but not yet made public says a violent attack on parliament by VMRO DPMNE party supporters on April 27 was not spontaneous.

The video, captured by security cameras inside the Macedonian parliament shows Krsto Mukoski and Saso Vasilevski, two MPs from the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE party, removing the security bars from the main gate just seconds before the crowd of angry VMRO-DPMNE supporters enter parliament going on to attack their bitter political opponents.

Observers say the VMRO DPMNE's stalling tactics, which involve the party's MPs making long speeches and holding discussions amongst themselves in order to prevent a vote on a new parliamentary speaker for as long as possible, are set to continue on Wednesday - and could drag out the process for weeks or possibly months.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Saudi Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met in Belgrade on Thursday.

They "agreed that economic cooperation between the two countries has so far been insufficiently developed," and that "it is in the interest of both Serbia and Saudi Arabia to establish the best possible economic relations."

AGERPRES special correspondent, Doroteea Purcarea reports: Prime minister Victor Ponta has had a meeting on Thursday with the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Premier Victor Ponta is welcomed by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the royal palace in Riyadh
Photo credit: Liviu SOVA / AGERPRES PHOTO

Japan and France signed an arms transfer agreement on March 13, paving the way for developing drones and other unmanned equipment together as Japan seeks to play a greater military role internationally.