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| Identifier: | 05SOFIA1101 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks: | View 05SOFIA1101 at Wikileaks.org |
| Origin: | Embassy Sofia |
| Created: | 2005-06-21 06:31:00 |
| Classification: | SECRET |
| Tags: | ETTC ER ET BU |
| Redacted: | This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks. |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SOFIA 001101
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2015
TAGS: ETTC, ER, ET, BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA: ANOTHER SCOLDING ON ARMS DEALS
REF: A. BRANDON-FREDEN EMAIL 21 MARCH 2005
B. 04 STATE 141781
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES PARDEW, FOR REASONS 1.4 (A) AND (D).
1. (S) SUMMARY. Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai
Milkov confirmed in a meeting with Ambassador on June 14 that
Bulgaria sold 100 T-55 tanks to Eritrea. According to Milkov,
the GOB has not approved further military sales to Eritrea
after this delivery in 2005 and insisted that the GOB now has
a policy of no military equipment sales to Eritrea and
Ethiopia. END SUMMARY.
2. (S) Milkov winced when we reminded him of the nonpaper
(ref B) given to Bulgaria last year which urged the GOB to
use extreme caution in any arms sales to Ethiopia and
Eritrea. However, Milkov thanked us for broaching the topic
and assured us that this meeting would give the MFA more
"ammunition" when fighting to halt such sales in the future.
He added the tank sale was pushed through by the Bulgarian
Defense Ministry because it could not afford maintenance
costs of stored tanks. Milkov said there was no post-sale
training or support to Eritrea and no sales of ammunition or
spare parts.
3. (S) Ambassador told Milkov that we were surprised that
Bulgaria ignored USG advice after seeking our guidance on
military sales to this region and disappointed that the GOB
did not consult with us before authorizing such a large tank
sale. Ambassador further expressed concern at the continued
sales from Bulgarian arms brokers that attempt to skirt the
GOB,s arms export controls through offshore companies and
third country equipment. He reminded Milkov of the
commitments the GOB has undertaken in various
nonproliferation regimes like the Wassenaar Arrangement, and
warned that arms deals through Bulgaria to sensitive areas
negate the past good work done to better control weapons in
the international market.
4. (S) COMMENT: Bulgria has improved the legal structure of
its expot controls, however this sale reveals the politica
and economic pressures to authorize arms sales to its
traditional clients in Africa. It highlight once again the
tension between Bulgaria's politcal commitment to
international arms control regmes and the economic pressures
to allow arms sals to sensitive cuntries.
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