BULGARIAN TROOPS LEAVE FOR IRAQ

UNCLAS SOFIA 000468 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCRM EU IZ BU SUBJECT: BULGARIAN TROOPS LEAVE FOR IRAQ REF: SOFIA 00267 ¶1. (U) A contingent of 153 soldiers departed Bulgaria March 30 to begin its mission at Camp Ashraf, located 70 kilometers north of Baghdad. The unit will replace a U.S. Army military police company, providing security for defectors from the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK),an Iranian opposition group. Prime Minister Stanishev and Defense Minister Bliznakov attended a farewell ceremony March 29 at the unit's base in central Bulgaria. In his speech to the troops, Stanishev referred to Bulgaria's previous contingent which was withdrawn from Ad-Diwaniyah in December 2005, saying the new mission marked the second stage of Bulgaria's contribution to stabilizing and democratizing Iraq. ¶2. (U) Six U.S. Army personnel from Iraq provided military policing, detention, and non-lethal use of force training to the contingent in Bulgaria March 6-16. Prior to assuming full responsibility for the mission, the Bulgarian unit will receive 21 days of additional training at Camp Ashraf. The unit will be replaced by a second contingent after six months, fulfilling Parliament's decision to provide forces at the camp for one year (reftel). ¶3. (SBU) All of the contingent's members are volunteers, and many have previously served in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Kosovo. According to the U.S. military trainers who were here earlier this month, the Bulgarian contingent is a well-equipped and well-trained unit, able to successfully accomplish the Camp Ashraf mission. The U.S. trainers were impressed by the high level of English proficiency of the contingent's officers and many of the soldiers. The pre-departure training was vital in dispelling rumors concerning the mission, as well as boosting the overall confidence of the unit. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT. The controversy surrounding Parliament's decision to send a new contingent back to Iraq (reftel) has almost entirely subsided. High-level government officials have taken the lead in publicly supporting the mission and their troops. END COMMENT. Beyrle