US embassy cable - 05SOFIA1527

UNCLAS SOFIA 001527 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, BU, Bulgaria-Iraqi Freedom 
SUBJECT: BULGARIA ISSUES STATEMENTS SUPPORTING IRAQI 
CONSTITUTION 
 
REF: STATE 158420 
 
1.  (SBU) In response to reftel points delivered by DCM to 
Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Kyuchukov and Presidential 
Foreign Policy Advisor Zlatin Trupkov August 29, President 
Purvanov's office and the MFA released the following 
supportive statements (informal translation provided by 
Embassy Sofia): 
 
2.  Statement by President Georgi Purvanov: "The Head of 
State expresses his satisfaction on the broad consensus 
achieved on the draft for a new Iraqi constitution. Despite 
the terror and bloodshed, the Iraqi people made an important 
step forward in the political process, which lays the 
foundation of a democratic and peaceful Iraq. The Bulgarian 
President hopes that the Iraqi authorities, with the 
assistance of the international community, will succeed in 
meeting the deadlines - October 15 for holding a referendum 
on the constitution and holding new elections in the middle 
of December 2005. The Republic of Bulgaria will continue to 
firmly support the independence, sovereignty and territorial 
integrity of Iraq." 
 
3.  Statement by the MFA: "The Republic of Bulgaria praises 
the courage and resolve of the Iraqi government and the 
members of the Committee on the Iraqi Constitution. Despite 
the complicated and unstable situation in the country, at 
the cost of hard efforts and compromise, they have managed 
to present to the Parliament this project. We sincerely 
believe that the adoption of a new constitution will offer 
the opportunity for building a democratic and fair society, 
inevitably connected, on the one hand, with a proud history 
and on the other striving for a modern future corresponding 
to contemporary values. We hope that all the Iraqi people 
will support this document of crucial importance after close 
examination of the draft constitution. Thereby it will 
become a landmark in the modern history of Iraq and will be 
a milestone in the development of a democratic, modern and 
law-governed state. Bulgaria will provide its further 
support to the efforts of the Iraqi government and people, 
which may always rely on our sincere friendship." 
 
BEYRLE