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[No, this isn't about Elvis Presley, but about Bulgaria's returning monarch - oh joy!]
Bulgarian Leader Wants Into NATO
By GEORGE GEDDA
.c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha of Bulgaria said Monday his country is prepared to make a significant contribution to NATO if invited to join later this year.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who meets with President Bush on Tuesday, addressed a luncheon gathering at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group.
His 15-minute address was devoted entirely to reasons why he believes Bulgaria would be a valuable addition to the 19-member alliance. When NATO convenes a summit meeting in Prague in November, Bulgaria is seen as a likely recipient of a membership invitation.
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha said Bulgaria would make NATO more robust, particularly in the U.S.-led effort to defeat international terrorism.
He said Bulgarian military contributions would help NATO countries in Europe narrow the current military advantage held by the Unites States in the alliance.
``We are willing to make a significant contribution to NATO,'' said Saxe-Coburg-Botha, who served as a child monarch in the 1940's before being forced into exile when Bulgaria became communist. The country spent decades as a loyal ally of the Soviet Union.
On his return from exile, he formed his own party, which won parliamentary elections last June.
Immediately after Sept. 11, Bulgaria joined the anti-terrorism struggle in earnest, opening its air space to American and other aircraft heading for Southwest Asia.
Even though it was not part of NATO, Bulgaria invoked the alliance's collective defense provisions, making it a de facto member.
Bulgaria's Southeast Europe neighbor, Romania, also is considered a strong candidate for NATO membership. Others seen as having a good chance are Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Albania, Macedonia and Croatia are considered to have little chance in this round of NATO expansion.
04/22/02 16:56 EDT
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