VZCZCXRO7415
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2317/01 1840804
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 030804Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5470
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 0005
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 0019
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 1247

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002317 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2016 
TAGS: PREL MARR BU IR GR NATO IZ
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN AMB DISCUSSES MILITARY, TRAINING 
CONTRIBUTIONS 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David M. Satterfield for Reasons 
 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Bulgarian Ambassador Valeri Ratchev told 
A/DCM Speckhard June 29 that his visit to Iraq would help him 
rto refute statements by Iraqi exiles in Bulgaria about how 
dangerous Iraq service was.  Bulgarian forces were positive 
about their conditions in Iraq, Ratchev noted, and he hopes 
to get Bulgarian Deputy PM/Foreign Minister Kalfin to visit 
Iraq in late October.  Ratchev added that Bulgaria and Greece 
will provide 30 Iraqi officers with military training.  In 
addition, Bulgaria plans to train 30 police officers and to 
do more military training next year.  Ratchev claimed that 
Iraq owes Bulgaria $2 billion (most of it state debt, 
although "tens of millions" are commercial) but that Bulgaria 
will wait until next year to raise this issue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
BULGARIA'S MILITARY PRESENCE 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Bulgarian Ambassador Valeri Ratchev met separately 
on June 29 with A/DCM and PolMilCouns, but he raised the same 
points in both meetings.  On Bulgaria's military presence in 
Iraq, Ratchev said that he had visited the Bulgarian 
contingent at Camp Ashraf so that he could knowledgeably 
counter statements of Iraqi exiles in Bulgaria about how 
dangerous Iraq service was.  In reality, Ratchev stated, 
Bulgarian forces were positive about their conditions and the 
officers made no requests.  Most Bulgarians did not know the 
camp was located in an isolated desert area of Diyala 
province rather than the more dangerous environs of the 
provincial capital, Baqubah.  Moreover, Ratchev noted, they 
only were guarding those Mujehddin-e Khalq (MEK) members who 
were being processed for repatriation.  On MG Gardner's 
recommendation, Ratchev said that he intends to send 
Bulgarian journalists to Camp Ashraf to see conditions for 
themselves in order to win more public attention for boosting 
Bulgarian engagement with Iraqis.  Bulgaria's one-year 
commitment ran out in March 2007; after a new UNSCR, Ratchev 
explained, Bulgaria could consider "enhancing" its mission. 
 
¶3. (C) Ratchev said that he hopes to get Bulgarian Deputy 
PM/Foreign Minister Kalfin to visit Iraq in late October, 
after the next Bulgarian unit rotates in.  This would be a 
good time, Ratchev predicted, because by then the Iraq 
Compact and the Erbil Reconstruction Conference would be 
underway. 
 
¶4. (C) Ratchev said that the Iranians are offering to help 
more with those former MEK members applying for repatriation 
from Kut.  In Ratchev's view, this gives the Iranians a 
common interest with the Bulgarians.  Also, he noted, those 
MEK who are interned have a new camp and better facilities. 
 
-------------------------------- 
TRAINING PROGRAMS TO BE LAUNCHED 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) On political-military ties, Ratchev reported that 
Bulgaria is about to launch a Bulgarian-Greek military 
training program to begin August 12 at the Bulgarian Land 
Forces Academy.  Aimed at 30 junior and mid-level Iraqi 
officers, the program would train the trainers in tactical 
combat skills (which Ratchev noted was called "peace 
support").  The Greek Government's Center for Peace Support 
Operations would provide transport and seven lecturers, 
Ratchev explained.  Ratchev said that, in order to prepare a 
program for next year, he had been in contact with the NATO 
Training Mission in Baghdad to get information on Iraq's 
training needs and priorities.  Bulgaria also hopes to start 
a Bulgaria-only basic police training program for 30 police 
officers and is awaiting names from the GOI. 
 
¶6. (C) On economics, Ratchev said that, in the past, Bulgaria 
had been involved in major infrastructure programs in Iraq 
such as airports and medical facilities.  One could not 
revitalize those past relations, he noted, which had been 
based on political or ideological ties.  Ratchev hoped, 
however, that friendly relations from Bulgaria's current 
engagement could form the basis for future commercial links. 
Ratchev pointed out that Iraq owes Bulgaria $2 billion, most 
of it state debt, although "tens of millions" are commercial. 
 Bulgaria would wait until next year to raise this issue, 
Ratchev said, since Sofia now is focused on its EU 
application. 
 
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LOOKING FOR AN INTERIM EMBASSY 
 
BAGHDAD 00002317  002 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Bulgaria is looking for a new interim property, 
Ratchev reported, since the Bulgarian embassy in Baghdad had 
been seriously damaged.  Ratchev said that they had found a 
property in the International Zone where they could move 
within two months.  He asked for U.S. support with the 
International Zone Property Committee. 
Khalilzad