EXTENSION OF BULGARIAN MILITARY PRESENCE AT CAMP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000049 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2018 TAGS: PREL PARM PGOV SUBJECT: EXTENSION OF BULGARIAN MILITARY PRESENCE AT CAMP ASHRAF/SECOND SURVEY OF IRAQ DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS REF: A. (A) SECSTATE 5195 ¶B. (B) SECSTATE 4865 Classified By: Pol/Econ Section Head Jim Bigus for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) We delivered ref a demarche to GOB ambassador to baghdad (resident in Sofia) valerie ratchev on January 17. Ratchev said he would begin the formal process to extend the mission immediately. ¶2. (C) We also delivered ref b demarche to Ambassador Ratchev on January 17. Ratchev said he would get back to us with responses to the questions the week of January 21 after consultations within the MFA. He noted that continued Bulgarian deployment in Iraq would be politically acceptable only as a humanitarian mission. Karagiannis