US Election 2008 Blog

 News.bg

Rangers from Bulgarian mission in Iraq and honorary guard were at the square of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral for the official receiving of the American president George Bush.

Around 8.25 AM the American delegation retinue arrived in front of the cathedral.

The US president and the first lady were received by the Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov and his wife Zorka Parvanova.

The guard orchestra performed the American and the Bulgarian anthems, after which Bush greeted the Bulgarian guard in Bulgarian language.

George and Lora Bush greeted the officials among whom were the Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin, Bulgarian ambassador to the USA Elena Poptodorova, Minister of Defense Georgi Bliznakov, Sofia mayor Boiko Borissov, US ambassador in Bulgaria John Beyrle, representatives of the American embassy and the administration of president Parvanov.

Bush laid a wreath to the Monument of the Unknown hero and paid tribute to the memory of the heroes who have died for Bulgaria.

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 Sofia Echo 

Controversy between the United States and Russia about the planned US anti-missile defence shield over Central and Eastern Europe will be one of the dominant themes during US president George Bush’s visit to Bulgaria.

Nato member Bulgaria, which will not be covered by the shield, wants the same level of security as nearby states that will be involved in the scheme, which the US says is intended as protection against a potential threat from Iran.

Bush’s June 10 and 11 visit will include meetings with his host, President Georgi Parvanov, and Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, among others.

Other security issues on the agenda include Bulgaria’s military modernisation.

Bush will reiterate US support for the Bulgarian medics facing the death penalty in Libya.

Bulgaria will continue to press for the US to scrap the requirement for Bulgarians to have visas to enter the US. In an interview broadcast on Bulgarian National Television (BNT) on June 1, Bush described this as a “tough issue” but said that he was working to come up with a solution.

Asked by BNT what Bulgaria would get in return for its military bases deal with the US, Bush said: “I don’t think friends really kind of measure decision-making on a quid pro quo basis”. On Iraq, Bush expressed his condolences to the families of Bulgarian military personnel who had died there, but defended his decisions.

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