Bush in Bulgaria
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.
Tags:BNT, Bulgaria, Bulgarian medics in Libya, George Bush, Georgi Parvanov, Sergey Stanishev, Sofia, Sofia Echo
