VZCZCXRO7255
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHSF #0867 2001409
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191409Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4000
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI

UNCLAS SOFIA 000867 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE MNORDBERG 
 
REF:  A) Sofia 861, B) Sofia 846 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM LY BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN MFA TRANSMITS REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF MEDICS TO 
EMBASSY IN TRIPOLI: BALL IN LIBYA'S COURT (AGAIN) 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Bulgarian MFA Middle East and Africa Office Director Petko 
Doykov confirmed July 19, that the MFA had transmitted to the 
Bulgarian Embassy in Tripoli the official request for transfer of 
the medics under the bilateral Legal Assistance Agreement.  He would 
not confirm when the request was sent, stating that it was 
"classified" information, but that the Embassy was in possession of 
the documents.  Asked if the Embassy had submitted the request to 
the Libyan MFA, Doykov said that he "hoped so."  Regarding timing of 
the transfer, Doykov said that he would not speculate; it is now up 
to the Libyans.  MFA spokesman Dimitar Tsanchev also confirmed to 
the local press that the MFA "had sent the request for transfer to 
the Libyan authorities," without elaborating on timing or 
procedures. 
¶2. (SBU) On June 18, Embassy contacts reported that the requests for 
the nurses had been finalized, but not for the Palestinian doctor 
because his family had not yet given authorization.  When questioned 
about this, Doykov asserted that the doctor was a Bulgarian citizen 
and that "all six would be diligently covered."  Tshanchev also 
clarified this point in his July 19 press brief.  Asked if he 
expected that the Libyans would wait until the anticipated visit of 
French President Sarkozy to finalize a deal, Doykov responded that 
he couldn't say what the Libyans and French were "cooking up." 
BEYRLE