US embassy cable - 05SOFIA139

UNCLAS SOFIA 000139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, IZ, BU 
SUBJECT: BULGARIA/IRAQ: PRESIDENT CALLS FOR A "QUICK 
BUT NOT PREMATURE" WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS 
 
Ref: SOFIA 00067 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov 
called January 21 for a "quick but not premature" 
withdrawal from the multinational force in Iraq, urging 
parliament to bring the Bulgarian troops home by the 
end of 2005.  Purvanov, who addressed Parliament and 
the diplomatic corps on the third anniversary of his 
taking office, said that after the elections in Iraq 
the coalition would need to develop a tentative 
timetable for ending the foreign military presence 
there.  "The debate on the issue should no longer be 
delayed, and Bulgaria's future presence in Iraq should 
be discussed both within the coalition and among 
domestic political forces," said Purvanov.  Bulgaria, 
he assured, would continue to act as a stable and 
predictable partner.  He also proposed that Bulgaria's 
2005 general elections be held on June 25, and 
recommended holding a referendum on EU membership in 
the late autumn of this year or early spring 2006. END 
SUMMARY 
 
2.  (U) Purvanov said "the elections in Iraq should 
open a new stage in the stabilization of the country, 
its democratization, and its achievement of 
sovereignty, including withdrawal of foreign troops. 
It is important to reaffirm Bulgaria's principled 
position that we will not make any decisions under 
terrorist pressure, that we are a part of the united 
allied configuration and the anti-terror coalition, and 
that Bulgaria is a reliable and predictable partner." 
 
3. (U) After Bulgaria consults with its allies, 
Purvanov said the National Assembly should hold a 
debate, review the Bulgarian mission in Iraq, and fix 
the end of 2005 as the deadline for the withdrawal of 
the Bulgarian contingent in Iraq.  He noted the 2005 
deadline was in line with the positions envisaged in UN 
Security Council Resolution 1546.  The deadline may 
later be extended if the UN, the European Union, or 
NATO decide to assist Iraq's further recovery at the 
request of the new Iraqi authorities, Purvanov added. 
He said that after the January elections, Bulgaria may 
also consider reducing and/or transforming its presence 
in Iraq, shifting the focus toward training of Iraqi 
forces. 
 
4. (U) The President's proposal for a parliamentary 
debate on Iraq was promptly backed by the opposition 
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), which Purvanov chaired 
before taking office in January 2002.  Socialist leader 
Sergei Stanishev, whose party is expected to win a 
plurality in the next parliament, caused a stir last 
week when he announced the BSP would withdraw 
Bulgaria's troops from Iraq if it manages to form a 
coalition after the elections (reftel).  Stanishev 
reaffirmed this stance January 21, saying the BSP's 
position was in line with the position of most European 
states and corresponded with the opinion of the 
majority of Bulgarians. 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Purvanov, who generally has supported 
the continued deployment of troops in Iraq, took a 
balanced position that responds to the expectations of 
most Bulgarians.  At the same time, he allowed for the 
possible extension of Bulgaria's military presence 
beyond 2005 following further UN action and/or a 
request by the Iraqi government.  He highlighted the 
need for consultations with coalition partners and 
noted "the unfavorable effect of the sudden pullout of 
coalition members from Iraq."  The President's stance 
contrasts with the position of his former colleagues in 
the BSP, who advocate a withdrawal immediately after 
the January elections. END COMMENT