US embassy cable - 05SOFIA933

C O N F I D E N T I A L  SOFIA 000933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, MOPS, BU 
SUBJECT: TOP GENERAL DISCUSSES WAY AHEAD FOR BULGARIAN 
MILITARY IN THE COMING YEAR 
 
REF: (A) 04 SOFIA 2016 (B) SOFIA 357 (C) 04 SOFIA 593 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James Pardew, reasons, 1.4(B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  On the eve of his renewed mandate, Bulgarian 
Chief of the General Staff (CHOD) General Nikolai Kolev gave 
us an overview of the direction of the Bulgarian Armed Forces 
for the next calendar year during a meeting on May 16. Kolev 
sees Bulgaria as a strategic partner of the U.S., with a 
small, but capable, military. Kolev also outlined large 
military modernization projects, which the General Staff 
continues to support even though the GOB does not have funds 
to cover.  He stated that the military firmly supports the 
concept of U.S. bases in Bulgaria and expressed regret over 
the GOB's decision to end the country's military involvement 
in Iraq at the end of 2005. END SUMMARY 
 
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MOD VS. GENERAL STAFF 
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2. (C) The Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the General Staff 
have battled privately and publicly during the past three 
years over resources and legal issues. Kolev explained that 
numerous laws constrain his ability to manage the military. 
The CHOD is now able to deploy selected units out of country, 
without soliciting volunteers from across the Armed Forces, 
but can not direct the deployment of soldiers without them 
first volunteering.  He said Bulgaria was unable to quickly 
fulfill NATO,s request to send five instructors to Iraq to 
train local security forces because no one volunteered, and 
legally the CHOD could not direct soldiers to go on the 
mission (ref B).  In order to fill these training positions, 
Bulgaria's next troop rotation in Iraq, BULCON V, will 
include 10 officers and NCOs whose sole task during their 
deployment will be to train one Iraqi security force 
battalion. 
 
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IRAQ: DISAPPOINTED AT THE GOB DECISION TO WITHDRAW 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
3. (C)  Kolev expressed to us that he is disappointed at the 
GOB's political decision to withdraw the Bulgarian battalion 
from Iraq at year's end. He emphasized that this deployment 
has provided invaluable military experience and advanced the 
development of Bulgaria's military. Kolev added that last 
month he proposed to the MOD an alternate means of 
maintaining a military presence in Iraq, and suggested that 
Bulgaria send a company of approximately 120 personnel as 
force protection for the United Nations. This proposal, 
however, was never addressed. Kolev hopes that the next 
government will re-consider Bulgarian military contributions 
to the Coalition in Iraq. 
 
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AFGHANISTAN: READY TO ENGAGE SEEBRIG 
------------------------------------ 
 
4. (C) Kolev stated that Bulgaria has increased its presence 
in Afghanistan. He also proposed to deploy HQ SEEBRIG, which 
comes under Bulgarian command on 1 July 2005, to provide the 
command element of ISAF. He said this idea would have to be 
first considered by the Council of Ministers in November. He 
does not see much of a future for SEEBRIG if the unit does 
not deploy operationally soon. 
 
5. (C) Kolev said that Bulgaria has a clear understanding of 
the responsibilities involved in assuming control of Kabul 
airport in August 2006 and has already begun its training 
program. He anticipated 120 people will be needed to run the 
airport and another 300 for force protection. Should no other 
nation volunteer forces for this NATO operation, he claimed 
Bulgaria would provide them. 
 
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MODERNIZATION: STILL CHAMPAGNE DREAMS AND BEER BUDGET 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
6. (C) Kolev acknowledged political sensitivities regarding 
U.S. and European companies bidding for future military 
modernization contracts, especially in light of Bulgaria's 
anticipated EU membership in 2007. He added that such 
projects are being directed to maintain a "balance" between 
U.S. and EU interests.  He claimed Bulgaria has submitted 
through NATO channels a request for infrastructure funding 
support for the following items: Bezmer, Graf Ignatievo and 
Cheshigorovo air bases, Atyia (Burgas) naval base, and a 
 
 
naval surveillance operations center.  The air bases and 
naval base are all areas that the USG has interest in placing 
forward operating sites. 
 
7. (C) Current major modernization projects high on the his 
list were purchasing new transpQ aircraft, overhauling 
Bulgaria's aging MIG-29s and perhaps purchasing new multirole 
fighter jets. Kolev said he is pressing the MOD to complete 
the contract for eight C-27J aircraft, but the Ministry of 
Finance has yet to agree.  Bulgaria is also seeking to 
overhaul 10 MIG-29s to extend their life another five or six 
years.  Kolev expressed his preference that the next 
Bulgarian airframe be a U.S. multirole fighter, and 
emphasized in detail his distinct preference for F-18s over 
F-16s. However, he did not address the financial means by 
which Bulgaria could purchase such aircraft (ref A). 
 
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BLACK SEA 
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8. (c) The Black Sea is one of Kolev,s priorities due to the 
problems of illegal trafficking, potential use by terrorists, 
and the future shipment of Caspian Sea oil. When Bulgaria 
became a NATO member, Kolev said he proposed to his Turkish 
and Romanian colleagues that they combine efforts to secure 
the Black Sea. However, he characterized Turkey as trying to 
dominate this effort rather than cooperate. For example, 
Kolev claims when he suggested rotating command and control 
of submarines, Turkey insisted on maintaining permanent 
command of these assets. 
 
9. (C) The Bulgarian military has four major modernization 
projects associated with the Black Sea - building a Naval 
Surveillance Operations Center (NSOC), plus purchases of 
submarines, corvettes, and frigates. Kolev CHOD wants the 
NSOC to be a joint Bulgarian and U.S. project because this 
will provide the U.S. with an alternative to Turkish 
surveillance of the Black Sea. But despite Bulgaria's 
Strategic Defense Review findings and funding constraints, 
Kolev intends to maintain a submarine capability in the Black 
Sea (ref C). He also stated that if Bulgaria chooses a German 
company competing for an estimated 500 million euro corvette 
contract, the German government has promised to donate two 
small submarines to Bulgaria. Bulgaria has already agreed to 
purchase a 2.5 ton Belgian frigate that should be fully 
operational next year. 
 
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COMMENT 
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10. (C) This was an open and frank discussion in which Kolev 
clearly wanted to lay out the road ahead for the Bulgarian 
Armed Forces during the next and last year of his leadership 
mandatQHowever, he failed to address the financial means 
for Bulgarian to carry out its ambitious military 
modernization program. Being close to the Bulgarian Socialist 
Party, which is set to be the largest party in parliament 
after the coming June elections, Kolev is positioned to 
continue to push for his agenda with the MOD.