This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 001987 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2015 
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL BU
SUBJECT: U.S.- BULGARIA SECURITY RELATIONSHIP: PUSHING ON 
AN OPEN DOOR 
 
Classified By: Amb. John Beyrle, for reasons 1.4 a and d. 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY.  The U.S.- Bulgaria security relationship is 
strong and shows no signs of weakening after the August 
formation of a three-party coalition including the Bulgarian 
Socialist Party (BSP).  Despite our concerns in the 
pre-election period, the coalition remains a solid ally 
supporting U.S. interests by fighting terrorism in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, negotiating a U.S. military presence in 
Bulgaria, and promoting regional security through deployments 
in Bosnia and Kosovo.  The GOB faces considerable political 
risks in deepening our security relationship as significant 
elements of the Bulgarian population remain skeptical of 
close military cooperation with the U.S. absent the 
perception of tangible benefits to Bulgaria.  END SUMMARY. 
 
AN ALLY IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Bulgaria is a strong ally in the Global War on 
Terrorism (GWOT).  It is a coalition member in Operation 
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and has had a 400-man battalion in Iraq 
since 2003.  To date, Bulgaria has suffered 93 military 
casualties in Iraq, 13 killed and 80 wounded.  This is the 
highest casualty rate of any coalition member, based on the 
number of killed and wounded as a percentage of the 
contingent's size.  Bulgaria is spending significant amounts 
of its own funds to support the deployment.  Despite the high 
cost in both money and lives, the new government has 
back-tracked on its campaign promise to withdraw immediately 
from Iraq.  Instead, they have engaged us in an intensive 
dialogue on possible alternative missions.  At the same time, 
the Socialist-led government has delayed the pullout of 
troops from MNF-I until after the December 15 Iraqi elections 
at our behest, this despite a legislative mandate to bring 
the troops home by December 31. 
 
¶3. (C) As the battalion in MNF-I prepares to begin its 
scheduled redeployment to Bulgaria, the GOB is rapidly moving 
toward a follow-on OIF mission.  The mission under 
consideration involves sending 120 soldiers to Camp Ashraf to 
guard Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK) internees, the Iranian 
opposition group that received assistance from Iraq under 
Saddam.  The GOB is nearing a decision on this new mission 
despite the fact that 80% of the Bulgarian public opposes any 
military presence in Iraq at all.  The decision to take on 
the MEK mission will be a complete the reversal of the 
Socialist Party's election pledge to immediately withdraw 
from Iraq.  In addition to its substantial contribution in 
Iraq, 80 Bulgarian soldiers are part of ISAF in Afghanistan, 
and Bulgaria has accepted the Kabul International Airport 
security mission, which will bring their ISAF contingent up 
to 200-300 in 2006. 
 
OUT OF THE MANPADS BUSINESS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (S) The GOB provides valuable assistance to the USG in the 
areas of counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation, 
including outstanding operational intelligence cooperation 
against terrorist and WMD targets around the world.  In 
October the USG and the GOB concluded a joint weapons 
reduction project in which Bulgaria sent 2608 MANPADS to the 
U.S. and destroyed another 2385 at home.  The remaining 
stocks of MANPADS in Bulgaria are held by the MOD for the 
exclusive use of the Bulgarian military.  Under our 
agreement, the GOB must consult with us prior to granting an 
export license for MANPADS or MANPADS components to any end 
user outside the EU or NATO.  This political agreement, along 
with the elimination of Bulgaria's commercial stockpile, 
marks the end of Bulgaria as a potential proliferator of 
MANPADS.  Once again, the decision entailed some political 
risk to the GOB, which already faces high unemployment in the 
defense sector. 
 
BASING TALKS ON TRACK 
--------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Bulgaria is negotiating a supplemental status of 
forces agreement and defense cooperation agreement that would 
grant U.S. access to Bulgarian military facilities in support 
of the Eastern European Task Force concept.  A negotiating 
team led by Amb. Loftis made substantial progress during 
talks in Sofia in September and November.  The team plans 
another visit to Sofia in January 2006.  Bulgarian officials 
from the President and Prime Minister on down have expressed 
strong public support for U.S. basing, despite the fact that 
60% of the Bulgarian people oppose the stationing of foreign 
troops in Bulgaria. 
 
¶6. (C) The Bulgarian military bases under discussion are 
already used for bilateral training exercises.  Exercise 
Immediate Response '06, scheduled for summer 2006, will 
demonstrate the ability to rapidly deploy a forward-stationed 
strategic reserve force.  It will include trilateral 
live-fire and training activities with U.S. Bulgarian, and 
Romanian forces.  The U.S. contingent will be approximately 
400 troops.  Bulgaria's Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and 
International Military Education and Training (IMET) budgets 
have made exercises such as this possible, and they serve as 
enablers for a stronger strategic security relationship. 
 
CONTRIBUTING TO REGIONAL SECURITY 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) As a NATO member and EU candidate, Bulgaria sets a 
strong example for western Balkan countries.  Our contacts 
within the government frequently mention Bulgaria's efforts 
to reach out to Macedonia, Albania, and Croatia in support of 
their NATO and EU aspirations.  Bulgaria is also active in 
supporting Georgia's involvement in the Partnership for Peace 
and its desire for broader Euro-Atlantic integration. 
Bulgaria is making concrete contributions to regional 
peacekeeping operations.  In Bosnia, 198 Bulgarian soldiers 
participate in EUFOR, and 42 Bulgarian soldiers are in KFOR 
in Kosovo.  Bulgaria can -- and is willing to -- play a 
positive role in ensuring regional stability in the wake of 
the Kosovo final status talks. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (C) The three-party ruling coalition's desire to discuss a 
follow-on OIF mission and joint basing is admirable given 
strong public opposition to each.  We will work toward an 
agreement on the new OIF mission by the end of this year, 
continue our negotiations on joint military facilities, and 
continue to enhance an already substantial and successful 
security relationship with Bulgaria.  Bulgarian officials, 
wary of potential parliamentary or popular backlash, 
continually ask us for ammunition to rebut the "What is 
Bulgaria getting in return?" question.  High-level contact 
(e.g. visits to Sofia by Generals Jones and Wald, the 
upcoming Secretary of Defense meeting with MOD Bliznakov in 
Washington) provides a strong part of the answer.  But we 
should be concerned by the cumulative effect of declining 
assistance and FMF budgets, especially as we enter the end 
game of basing negotiations, to ensure we are demonstrating 
the strongest possible support to a government that is 
showing domestic political leadership where it counts most 
for U.S. interests.  END COMMENT. 
BEYRLE