Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SOFIA714
2006-05-19 12:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:
BULGARIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES APPROVE DEFENSE
how-toVZCZCXRO0780 PP RUEHAST DE RUEHSF #0714 1391244 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 191244Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1942 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SOFIA 000714
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MARR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES APPROVE DEFENSE
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
UNCLAS SOFIA 000714
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MARR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES APPROVE DEFENSE
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
1. Six parliamentary committees overwhelmingly recommended
final approval of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA)
between Bulgaria and the U.S. after concluding a review of
the document May 18. The Committees on Defense, Foreign
Policy, Legal Affairs, Internal Security, Economy, and
Finance were assigned to review the agreement as part of the
ratification procedure in the Bulgarian Parliament. The
vote in the Foreign Policy Committee was 12-2 in favor, and
in the Defense Committee 10-2 in favor. As expected, MPs
from the extreme nationalistic group Ataka opposed the
agreement, signed April 28 by Foreign Minister Kalfin and
the Secretary of State, but their criticism was dismissed by
the majority.
2. The law for ratification of the DCA could be approved in
a plenary session of parliament as early as May 31 and will
be followed by a Presidential decree for its publication in
the State Gazette. We expect the bill to pass easily when
it comes to a vote in the full parliament.
BEYRLE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MARR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES APPROVE DEFENSE
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
1. Six parliamentary committees overwhelmingly recommended
final approval of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA)
between Bulgaria and the U.S. after concluding a review of
the document May 18. The Committees on Defense, Foreign
Policy, Legal Affairs, Internal Security, Economy, and
Finance were assigned to review the agreement as part of the
ratification procedure in the Bulgarian Parliament. The
vote in the Foreign Policy Committee was 12-2 in favor, and
in the Defense Committee 10-2 in favor. As expected, MPs
from the extreme nationalistic group Ataka opposed the
agreement, signed April 28 by Foreign Minister Kalfin and
the Secretary of State, but their criticism was dismissed by
the majority.
2. The law for ratification of the DCA could be approved in
a plenary session of parliament as early as May 31 and will
be followed by a Presidential decree for its publication in
the State Gazette. We expect the bill to pass easily when
it comes to a vote in the full parliament.
BEYRLE