AF/PAK: BULGARIA WILLING TO DO MORE, BUT ELECTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000140 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2029 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR BU SUBJECT: AF/PAK: BULGARIA WILLING TO DO MORE, BUT ELECTIONS HINDER PROGRESS REF: A. SECSTATE 28929 ¶B. SECSTATE 29482 ¶C. 2008 SOFIA 712 ¶D. 2008 SOFIA 684 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Karagiannis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: While expressing appreciation for Bulgaria's current troop deployments to Afghanistan, Kosovo and Bosnia, DCM Karagiannis stressed the importance of new Bulgarian contributions in Afghanistan. Looking to President Parvanov's first meeting with our President, the DCM urged Bulgaria to come to the NATO Summit with firm commitments on new ISAF deployments, including at least two new OMLTs and a Role Two Military Medical Facility. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Churov and the President's Chief of Staff Kolev noted that summer elections made new deployments politically sensitive, but promised to look seriously at possible commitments Bulgaria could bring to the NATO Summit. They expressed interest in two other embassy proposals: deployment of agricultural experts to Afghanistan as part of a PRT or other development entity and consolidation of Bulgarian forces (currently spread across three regional commands) into a unified maneuver battalion. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) DCM Karagiannis delivered reftels A and B to President Parvanov's Chief of Staff, Prime Minister Stanishev's Chief of Staff and Deputy Foreign Minister Churov. Subsequently, Chief of Defense Stoykov contacted the embassy to discuss how Bulgaria could do more. CURRENT BULGARIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ISAF ¶3. (U) In 2007 and 2008 the Bulgarians deployed an additional 390 troops to Afghanistan to supplement the 80 already in place. The bulk of these forces guard the perimeter of Kandahar Airfield, while the remainder are embedded in international contingents in Kabul and Herat Provinces. In 2008 Bulgaria began training a dozen Afghani diplomats per year in Sofia. Past Bulgarian efforts include the provision of 70 personnel for Air Traffic Control at Kabul International Airport and donations of light weapons, ammunition and ancillary equipment to the Afghan National Army. Bulgaria has also contributed over 400,000 USD to international trust funds for Afghanistan. POTENTIAL NEW CONTRIBUTIONS ¶4. (C) OMLTs: Bulgaria deployed its first OMLT, in cooperation with the Tennessee National Guard, to Kandahar in February 2009. This is expected to transition to an all-Bulgarian OMLT by February 2010. The Bulgarian General Staff informally proposed adding a single additional OMLT next year, but we have asked that they deploy at least two more in 2010 and that these be "kandak" rather than garrison OMLTs. ¶5. (C) Role Two Medical Facility: Although Bulgaria already has 15 military medical personnel in Afghanistan, we believe it has the capability to take on this new mission (which it agreed to on the CJSOR.) The Ministry of Defense and General Staff have been mulling this new deployment for over a year, but have yet to make a decision. ¶6. (C) Helicopters: The Ministry of Defense is interested in securing NATO funds for the refurbishment of at least two of its MI-17 helicopters. Given the poor state of the aircraft, the inadequate training of the Bulgarian pilots and the Bulgaria-based Russian interests that would benefit from the refurbishment, we cannot support this course of action. As an alternative, Bulgaria possesses 12 Eurocopter AS 532 Cougars, which are practically new, but not currently combat capable. It would cost far less and be a much better investment to upgrade these newer, NATO-interoperable helos for combat operations. In return, Bulgaria should be required to invest its own resources into to proper training of its pilots and agree to deploy the craft, with crews to Afghanistan following the upgrades. ¶7. (C) Civilian Contributions: In a January 6 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign Minister Kalfin promised that Bulgaria would do more in Afghanistan on civilian and counter-narcotics cooperation, but to date the government remains without a concrete plan. The Bulgarians say they are still willing to expand their contributions in this direction and are open to suggestions from the United States or NATO on how specifically they could add value. ¶8. (C) Consolidation of Military Personnel: For over a year, the embassy has prodded Bulgaria to develop a long-term plan to consolidate its troops (now spread across three regional commands) to a single area and add additional troops to form a battalion-sized force. The Ministry of Defense and the President's office remain interested in this idea, (the President's Chief of Staff said that consolidation was his "personal dream") and are considering whether to pledge at the NATO Summit to undertake this move in 2010. ¶9. (C) COMMENT: Bulgaria's embattled government is fixated on this summer's general elections. All interlocutors stress the support of the government for Bulgaria's continued engagement in Afghanistan and for eventual increases in troop levels. At the same time, all are concerned about the political difficulty of making new military commitments before an election. We have urged them, at minimum, to go forward with a political commitment that would be filled after the election, as this would empower the MOD and General Staff to begin detailed planning discussions with the U.S. and ISAF. Foreign Minister Kalfin will be at the April 3-4 NATO Summit and in Washington on April 8. A clear message to him on what NATO needs from Bulgaria and the importance of new commitments will help secure a positive decision in Sofia. Karagiannis