VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSF #0584 2411302
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281302Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5356
INFO RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM  IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SOFIA 000584 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR BU
SUBJECT: FY09 NADR REQUEST FOR UXO REMEDIATION NEAR SOFIA 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 88343 
     ¶B. SOFIA 451 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  Post greatly appreciates the funding 
provided in Reftel A to support Bulgarian UXO clean up 
efforts at Chelopechene Ammo Storage Facility.  With these 
resources, the Bulgarians predict they can complete the clean 
up of most of the blast site before the end of the year. 
However, even with this funding, the innermost section of the 
site (with the highest concentration of UXO), will remain 
beyond the capabilities of the Bulgarian Armed Forces to 
remediate.  In light of the Defense Minister's request for 
assistance and based on discussions with the Bulgarian 
military and State PM/WRA, post requests approximately 
$800,000 to $1.2 million in additional NADR funding in FY 
2009 to cover the cost of a hiring a U.S. contractor to 
complete clean up of the site.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  The furor over the 3 JUL 2008 explosions at an ammo 
storage facility outside Sofia has subsided, but Bulgarian 
clean up efforts remain severely hampered by lack of 
essential equipment and supplies.  The approximately $232,000 
provided for this purpose under Embassy Sofia's FY 2008 NADR 
funding will be of great assistance to Bulgarian efforts.  In 
addition to this, and as discussed during PM/WRA Mark Adams's 
visit to Sofia, post requests additional FY 2009 NADR funds 
for cleanup of the most difficult portions of the blast site. 
 Hiring a U.S. contractor to complete this work is estimated 
to cost between $800,000 and $1.2 million. 
 
¶3.  (U)  U.S. contractor assistance with the innermost 
portion of the site was specifically requested by Defense 
Minister Tsonev in a 30 JUL 2008 letter.  Follow-up inquiries 
by the Bulgarian MOD indicate the importance the Bulgarians 
place on this additional assistance.  Not only will these 
funds deepen U.S.-Bulgarian military partnership and generate 
goodwill from the Defense Minister and the Bulgarian military 
(who have been hit hard in the press for their handling of 
the incident), but they would help ensure that site does not 
pose a public risk or result in a death or injury to 
inadequately equipped Bulgarian explosive ordinance personnel. 
 
¶4.  (U)  COMMENT:  In addition to the benefits above, post 
can use the FY09 NADR funds to encourage Bulgaria to use its 
own resources to address other shared SA/LW destruction 
priorities, such as elimination of obsolete weapons systems 
and consolidation of ammo storage facilities.  Post will also 
reinforce its long-standing efforts to persuade Bulgaria to 
accept U.S. funding to destroy its military stocks of 
MANPADS. 
McEldowney