Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SOFIA110
2008-02-21 13:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:  

BULGARIA: GINGERLY SEEKING EXPANDED TIES WITH IRAN

Tags:  PGOV ENER PREL IR BU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHSF #0110/01 0521331
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211331Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4781
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0210
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 000110 

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PASS TO EUR/NCE FOR BULGARIA DESK OFFICER MARK TURNER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV ENER PREL IR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: GINGERLY SEEKING EXPANDED TIES WITH IRAN

REF: SOFIA 0065

Classified By: DCM A. Karagiannis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 000110

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PASS TO EUR/NCE FOR BULGARIA DESK OFFICER MARK TURNER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV ENER PREL IR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: GINGERLY SEEKING EXPANDED TIES WITH IRAN

REF: SOFIA 0065

Classified By: DCM A. Karagiannis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Iranian FM Mottaki visited Sofia on
January 22 and a Bulgarian parliamentary delegation visited
Tehran January 21-24. Bulgarian officials downplayed the
contacts as "nothing special" but at the same time described
plans to revive the Bulgaria-Iran Joint Economic Council and
send a trade delegation to Tehran this summer. The Iranians
offered to supply gas for Nabucco. The Bulgarians
defensively noted the importance of having a dialogue with
Tehran and using it to deliver the EU position on Iran's
nuclear program, but acknowledged they failed to raise Iran's
support for terrorism. Bulgaria's potential for expanding
trade with Iran remains unclear. We keep pressing the
Bulgarians to put their engagement with Iran well under EU
limits. END SUMMARY.

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EXPANDING BETTER BUSINESS RELATIONS
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2. (C) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited
Sofia on January 22 and met PM Stanishev, FM Kalfin, and
Transportation Minister Petar Mutafchiev (Ref. A). Our MFA
contacts characterized the meetings as "routine" and "nothing
special," focusing on maintaining a good bilateral dialog and
developing better business relations. They made clear their
dissatisfaction that Bulgaria's current trade with Iran was
far below historic levels. Trade with Iran amounted to only
$30 million in 2007, compared to neighboring Greece's $1
billion in the first six months of 2007. Mottaki and
Mutafchiev discussed reviving the joint Bulgarian-Iranian
Economic Commission and possibly holding a meeting in May or
June on business opportunities. The Bulgarians told Mottaki
that Iran's nuclear program and human rights issues were
obstacles to improved relations, but acknowledged to us that
they did not raise the issue of terrorism.


3. (C) Separately, a parliamentary delegation led by
Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Solomon Passy traveled to
Iran January 21-24. They met Head of the Majlis National
Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi,

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed

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Jalili, and Chairman of the Assembly of the Experts and the
Council for Expedience Ayatollah Ali Rafsanjani. Meetings
focused on improving parliamentary, business, and economic
relations.

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RUSSIA IS NOT THE WORLD'S ONLY NATURAL GAS SUPPLIER
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4. (C) MFA contacts said the Iranians were "impressed and
surprised" by the recent Bulgarian-Russian energy agreements,
and offered Iranian gas as a way for Europe to diversify its
sources. Mottaki claimed Iranian support for and willingness
to supply Nabucco with natural gas, and pointed out two
possibilities for European-Iranian energy cooperation:
Nabucco and the Trans-Adriatic pipeline with Greek and Swiss
partners. Borislav Penchev, a Foreign Affairs Committee
Senior Expert who was part of the parliamentary delegation,
said oil and gas were also high on the Iranian agenda in
Tehran. The Iranians showed "good will" to supply gas for
Nabucco, but would want to see an investment plan before
negotiating on supply. Rafsanjani said publicly that
Bulgaria can play a major role in the promotion of Iran's
economic relations with Europe, particularly transferring
Iranian gas and oil to the continent. (NOTE: The Israeli
DCM pulsed us on our reactions to the Mottaki visit. The
Israelis have zeroed in on worrisome signals that Iran is
using energy as a leverage point to play off EU states.)


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MAINTAINING THE EUROPEAN POSITION ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Kalfin declared publicly that Bulgaria wants to
remove the Iranian Nuclear Program issue from the agenda of
EU-Iranian relations via diplomacy, and is pleased with the
intensive dialog between IAEA experts and Iran. According to
Penchev, Passy told the Iranians in Tehran that although the

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individual EU member states can develop their own
economic/financial positions regarding Iran, they must hold
to the EU position on the Iranian nuclear program. In
Penchev's opinion, the Iranians are trying to deal with EU
member states directly to circumvent a common policy on
Iran's nuclear program. Passy also tried to persuade the
Iranians not to isolate themselves from the international
community like Libya did under sanctions, and pointed to
Libya as an example of how to return to international
acceptance. The MFA has made clear to us that the U. S. NIE
on Iran does not change the equation: the onus is still on
Iran to fulfill its commitments. But Bulgarian public
statements often lack teeth.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) Bulgaria took a credibility hit by meeting Mottaki.
They agreed to the visit as other EU members had also
accepted Mottaki. But after downplaying prospects for a PM
meeting, it got scheduled (mostly as domestic
political/energy interests came into play). The Bulgarians
do want to explore possibilities for expanded trade ties, and
also stay in the EU mainstream, especially on Iran's nuclear
program. We will keep impressing on the Bulgarians the need
to stay further on the hard side of EU positions.
Beyrle