Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SOFIA834
2007-07-09 16:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIAN NURSES IN LIBYA: MFA PESSIMISTIC ON EVE

Tags:  PREL PHUM KPAO LY BU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6987
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSF #0834 1901606
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 091606Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000834 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO LY BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN NURSES IN LIBYA: MFA PESSIMISTIC ON EVE
OF COURT DECISION, SEEKS COORDINATED RESPONSE


CLASSIFIED BY: POL-ECON COUNSELOR BRAD FREDEN, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000834

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO LY BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN NURSES IN LIBYA: MFA PESSIMISTIC ON EVE
OF COURT DECISION, SEEKS COORDINATED RESPONSE


CLASSIFIED BY: POL-ECON COUNSELOR BRAD FREDEN, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST; PLEASE SEE PARA 7.


2. (C) SUMMARY. DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER FAIM CHAUSHEV TOLD
US JULY 9 THAT HE NOW EXPECTS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY BETWEEN THE
ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK OF THE LIBYAN SUPREME COURT'S DECISION
TO UPHOLD THE DEATH SENTENCES AGAINST THE BULGARIAN NURSES
AND THE EXPECTED MEETING OF LIBYA'S SUPREME JUDICIAL COUNCIL
(SJC),WHICH HAS THE POWER TO RELEASE THE NURSES. ANY
SIGNIFICANT DELAY BETWEEN THE COURTS DECISION AND THE SJC
MEETING WILL LIKELY LEAD TO ANOTHER ROUND OF LIBYA-BASHING IN
THE BULGARIAN PRESS AND PARLIAMENT DESPITE THE MFA'S EFFORTS
TO MODERATE THE TONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE. CHAUSHEV
ASKS THAT THE U.S. ISSUE A BALANCED STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE
EXPECTED DECISION. IN OUR VIEW, THIS STATEMENT SHOULD
EMPHASIZE THAT THE COURT'S RULING CLEARS THE WAY FOR A
POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE CASE, CALL ON LIBYA TO RELEASE THE
NURSES, AND EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR THE AIDS VICTIMS IN
BENGHAZI. THE GOB HOPES THAT ITS PARTNERS IN WASHINGTON AND
BRUSSELS WILL ALSO USE THE OCCASION TO RENEW PRIVATE PRESSURE
ON LIBYA TO RELEASE THE NURSES. END SUMMARY.


3. (C) CHAUSHEV IS "99 PERCENT CERTAIN" THAT THE COURT WILL
REAFFIRM THE NURSES' DEATH SENTENCE WHEN IT MEETS ON JULY 11.
ACCORDING TO A PLAN SCRIPTED BY THE MFA AND THE OFFICE OF
EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER -- AND
REPORTEDLY ENDORSED BY LIBYAN NEGOTIATOR ABDUL ATI AL-OBEIDI
-- LIBYAS SUPREME JUDICIAL COUNCIL WAS TO HAVE MET WITHIN 24
HOURS OF THE COURTS DECISION, REDUCED THE NURSES' SENTENCES,
AND THEREBY OPENED THE WAY FOR THEIR RETURN TO BULGARIA UNDER
THE TERMS OF THE EXISTING BILATERAL AGREEMENT ON PRISONER
EXCHANGES. THE BULGARIANS HAVE MADE ALL THE NECESSARY
PREPARATIONS TO REPATRIATE THEIR NATIONALS AND THE
PALESTINIAN CO-DEFENDANT, EVEN GOING SO FAR AS TO ISSUE A
BULGARIAN PASSPORT TO THE PALESTINIAN AND HAVING THE NURSES
WAIVE ANY FUTURE CLAIMS AGAINST THE LIBYAN STATE, AS TRIPOLI
DEMANDED. HOWEVER, THIS PLAN NOW APPEARS TO BE IN SERIOUS
DOUBT.


4. (C) DESPITE OBEIDI'S ASSURANCES AS RECENTLY AS TEN DAYS
AGO THAT THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT WAS CLOSE TO REACHING
AGREEMENT WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE AIDS VICTIMS ON A PACKAGE
OF COMPENSATION AND TREATMENT, NO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED.
THIS IS THE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCK AHEAD OF A MEETING OF THE
SJC, ACCORDING TO CHAUSHEV. THE LIBYANS HAVE ALSO RE-DRAFTED
THE ABOVE-MENTIONED CLAIMS WAIVER TO INCLUDE A STATEMENT BY
THE NURSES ACCEPTING THE COURTS VERDICT AND PLEADING FOR
CLEMENCY, AS WELL AS LANGUAGE AFFIRMING THE FAIRNESS OF THE
LIBYAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM. THE NURSES, CHAUSHEV INSISTED, WILL
NEVER SIGN A DOCUMENT ACKNOWLEDGING GUILT.


5. (C) THE LIBYANS ARE ALSO MAKING NEW POLITICAL DEMANDS,
ACCORDING TO CHAUSHEV. IN A RECENT LETTER TO THE PORTUGUESE
EU PRESIDENCY AND FERRERO-WALDNER, OBEIDI ASKS THE EU TO
NEGOTIATE A FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT WITH LIBYA, TO SPEED UP THE
PROCESSING OF SCHENGEN VISAS FOR LIBYANS AND TO PROVIDE
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LIBYAN STUDENTS TO STUDY IN EUROPE.


6. (C) COMMENT. CHAUSHEV, TRADITIONALLY THE OFFICIAL MOST
WILLING TO ACCEPT THE LIBYANS AT THEIR WORD, SPOKE TODAY OF
"LOSING TRUST" IN OBEIDI. HE IS STILL ADVISING HIS POLITICAL
MASTERS TO REFRAIN FROM CRITICIZING LIBYA PUBLICLY -- HE WAS
ON HIS WAY TO BRIEF PRESIDENT PARVANOV WHEN WE MET HIM -- BUT
PRIVATELY HE IS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY PESSIMISTIC. HE
BELIEVES THE LIBYANS HAVE DECIDED TO PROLONG THE NURSES CASE
IN ORDER TO SQUEEZE ADDITIONAL CONCESSIONS OUT OF BULGARIA
AND THE EU. THE RESULT, HE FEARS, WILL BE A WAVE OF PUBLIC
VITRIOL DIRECTED AT LIBYA BY THE BULGARIAN PRESS AND
POLITICIANS, WHICH WILL SET THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS BACK
ANOTHER SIX MONTHS, AS WAS THE CASE LAST DECEMBER. END
COMMENT.


7. (U) ACTION REQUEST: WE ASK THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE US
WITH ITS DRAFT PRESS GUIDANCE TO BE SHARED WITH THE BULGARIAN
MFA IN ADVANCE OF THE EXPECTED COURT DECISION ON JULY 11.
BEYRLE