BULGARIA'S NATO COMMITMENTS ON TRACK IN NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000408 SIPDIS FOR S/SRAP KAREN HANRAHAN, SCA/A ARIELLA VIEHE AND EUR/RPM AARON COPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2028 TAGS: PGOV PREL BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA'S NATO COMMITMENTS ON TRACK IN NEW GOVERNMENT REF: A. SECSTATE 74362 ¶B. SOFIA 266 ¶C. SOFIA 140 Classified By: Ambassador McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel points to incoming Defense Minister Nikolai Mladenov, who stressed the new Bulgarian administration will honor NATO commitments made by the previous government and look for new ways to expand participation. Ambassador McEldowney emphasized the importance of Afghanistan in calls on the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and in public statements. There are currently 475 Bulgarian soldiers in Afghanistan, including one OMLT. In partnership with the Tennessee National Guard, a second Bulgarian OMLT will deploy around the end of 2009. Bulgaria also plans to deploy a 75-person Role Two Military Medical facility including 40 medical personnel within the next nine months. In response to previous requests, Bulgaria has offered to donate six MI-17 helicopters to Afghanistan or Pakistan in exchange for refurbishment of other Bulgarian helos and is awaiting a reply on this proposal from the Department of Defense. McEldowney