WITH NO TIES TO BURMA, BULGARIA STILL ACTIVELY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000188 SENSITIVE SIPDIS EAP/MLS FOR LAURA SCHEIBE NSC FOR ELIZABETH PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD BM BU SUBJECT: WITH NO TIES TO BURMA, BULGARIA STILL ACTIVELY ENGAGED ON EU BURMA POLICY REF: SECSTATE 33547 Classified By: Political Counselor Jim Bigus for reason 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (C) On April 15, PolOff delivered reftel demarche to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Desk Officer for Laos, Cambodia, the Philipines, Thailand, and Burma, Ivan Velikov. Though the Government of Bulgaria (GOB) does not have an embassy in Burma or official diplomatic relations with the military regime, Velikov said that Bulgaria's Ambassador in Thailand recently accompanied other EU ambassadors on a visit to Burma to assess the situation on the ground. In discussions on the EU Common Position on Burma to be held later this month, the GOB will share its concerns that despite all efforts by the EU and the United Nations, there remains no positive change toward democracy in Burma. The GOB will note the need for continued international pressure for the immediate release of political prisoners and the need for dialogue amongst all parties in Burma, including the opposition, regarding the preparations for elections. In addition to the EU and UN efforts, Velikov said that the GOB believes that it is necessary to rely heavily on other Asian countries to pressure Burma. Most importantly, all international efforts, especially the applications of sanctions, must be coordinated. As an EU member, Veliko said that Bulgaria will ultimately follow the EU position on the issue of Burma. Karagiannis