EXTRADITION: BULGARIA EAGER TO NEGOTIATE, ASKS FOR

UNCLAS SOFIA 001195 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. FOR NCE, L/LEI (KELLER & GUILANI), DOJ/OIA FOR DEBORAH CARUTH & ANDREA TISI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KTIA BU SUBJECT: EXTRADITION: BULGARIA EAGER TO NEGOTIATE, ASKS FOR LATER DATE REF: SECSTATE 136385 ¶1. On August 22, we delivered the draft texts of the proposed extradition treaty and mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) to Ministry of Justice's Peter Rashkov, Director of the International Cooperation and European Integration Office, and Vesselina Maleva, Head of the International Legal Assistance Department. We delivered same separately to MFA's Legal Advisor Dimana Dermendjieva. All welcomed the drafts and reiterated the GOB's willingness to begin negotiations. Rashkov's office will lead Bulgaria's negotiating team, which will include representatives from the MOJ, MOI, MFA, and possibly the Prosecutor's Office. He said the MOJ will review the draft, forwarding us any comments, and will present it to the Council of Ministers to be granted negotiation authority. ¶2. While emphasizing the GOB's interest to begin negotiations as soon as possible, Rashkov cited pressing issues related to Bulgaria's EU accession in requesting a delay of the USG negotiators' visit until the first week of October. Bulgaria is expected to join the EU in January 2007, but the confirmation of its accession is tied to a final report of the EU Commission due to be released on 26 September. Rashkov and his staff will be in Germany during the same week to discuss accession-related issues in the field of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA),and he expects the Council of Ministers to be bogged down with EU related work during the same period. We concur with Rashkov that an October meeting will likely be more productive. ¶3. Post's point of contact is political officer Anna Radivilova, who can be reached at (359 2) 937-5276 and via email at radivilovaa@state.gov. KARAGIANNIS