C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 001765

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IZ BU NATO
SUBJECT: BULGARIA AGREES TO DEFER IRAQ FOLLOW-ON MISSION
DECISION

REF: A) SECSTATE 188907 B) SOFIA 1719

Classified By: DCM Jeffrey D. Levine for reasons 1.4 (b, d)


1. (C) Based on ref A demarche, the Bulgarian government
agreed to postpone decision regarding its Iraqi follow-on
mission until after President Purvanov,s meeting with
President Bush. Rayko Raychev, chief of staff to Foreign
Minister Kalfin told DCM that the Council of Ministers, which
had been scheduled to decide the issue Oct. 13, would
instead conduct only a general discussion that would "not
preclude anything."


2. (C) In a follow-up discussion, MFA NATO and
International Security Director Plamen Bonchev confirmed that
the Council of Ministers met, but in response to the U.S.
demarche took no decision on Iraq. Bonchev indicated
willingness on the part of the GOB to continue discussions on
Bulgaria's follow-on mission prior to the Presidents' meeting
on October 17 if the U.S. side believes that would be useful.
He assured us that Bulgaria will have a presence in Iraq
after December 31, and has not definitively ruled out taking
part in the MEK mission at Camp Ashraf. However, the
parameters for the final decision -- security of the troops,
smaller number of forces, limited resources, and foreign
policy considerations -- argue for a training mission,
according to Bonchev. He suggested that Ambassador
Poptodorova would be the most appropriate interlocutor for
any discussions between now and the Presidents' meeting, and
that the two sides should decide in advance how the two
Presidents will publicly characterize Bulgaria's continuing
role in Iraq.
BEYRLE