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1) More US Military Equipment, Troops Arrive In Bulgaria 2) Bulgaria Says US May Move Military Bases From Germany To Southeast Europe, Black Sea 3) Lord Robertson: NATO 'Won't Hesitate To Defend Eastern Europe' http://www.online.bg/ASP/wwwbgweb2.asp?mode=article&artdate=2003/2/28&artno=31 Bulgaria Online February 28, 2003 More US Military Equipment Brought to Bulgaria -The C-5 Galaxy plane was loaded with military equipment for the US troops that will be stationed in the base, some 400 kilometers away from the Bulgarian capital. Twenty-nine US military officers arrived with the aircraft. So far, 64 Americans have been stationed at the Bulgarian airport to prepare it for the arrival of the American plane-cisterns. [Cargo planes?] The operation for transportation of US military equipment and people to Burgas airport is continuing on Friday under tight security measures. Two US C-141 aircraft have landed at the airport late on Thursday, the coordination center announced. The name of the airport from which the planes have departed was not disclosed. Having been unloaded and refuelled, the first aircraft departed an hour after midnight. The other plane is still at the airport. This is the first time that C-141 aircraft land at Burgas airport. One more US aircraft has landed at the airport in the residential quarter of Sarafovo in the Bulgarian seaside city of Burgas earlier on Thursday. The C-5 Galaxy plane was loaded with military equipment for the US troops that will be stationed in the base, some 400 kilometers away from the Bulgarian capital. Twenty-nine US military officers arrived with the aircraft. So far, 64 Americans have been stationed at the Bulgarian airport to prepare it for the arrival of the American plane-cisterns. On February 7 Bulgaria's Parliament agreed to allow the overflight and transit passage by US and allied troops through Bulgaria in a possible war against Iraq for a period of six months. The lawmakers also passed a motion authorising the use of the air-base in the Burgas residential district of Sarafovo by the US -led coalition. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.online.bg/ASP/wwwbgweb2.asp?mode=article&artdate=2003/2/28&artno=25 Bulgaria Online February 28, 2003 Bulgaria Says US May Move Troop Bases from Germany Source: ABC News -Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Ivanov told reporters that moving U.S. troops to Bulgaria would be part of a U.S. plan to restructure its military forces in Europe. -Bulgaria has offered the U.S. the use of a Black Sea air base for any war in Iraq and has sanctioned the dispatch of 150 troops to near Iraq to tackle non-conventional warfare threats. The United States is considering moving troop bases from Germany to Bulgaria, Defense Minister Nikolai Svinarov was quoted as saying on Thursday, in a move that would reward Sofia's backing for Washington over Iraq. Svinarov told state news agency BTA on his return from a trip to Washington that Bulgaria was keen to host U.S. forces, who would bring considerable economic benefits to the impoverished Balkan state and guarantee its security. "There is a possibility of providing four or five bases to the United States," Svinarov said, adding he discussed the option with representatives of the U.S. Senate's foreign affairs committee and other officials. The remarks are the latest to suggest that the United States is considering shifting some of its 70,000 military personnel based in Germany to lower-cost and friendlier eastern Europe. The talk, denied so far by officials in President George W Bush's administration, had largely centered on Poland, where U.S. forces already conduct huge live-fire training exercises. Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Ivanov told reporters that moving U.S. troops to Bulgaria would be part of a U.S. plan to restructure its military forces in Europe. "It's not a process that will be completed in days or months. It would take more time," said Ivanov. Some hawkish U.S. commentators say shifting the bases eastwards would punish Germany for criticizing Bush's readiness to wage war to rid Iraq of its alleged deadly weapons arsenal. CRITICISM FROM FRANCE Ex-communist east Europeans have offered staunch support to Bush on Iraq, out of gratitude for U.S. help in throwing off Soviet dominance in the 1980's and as payback for Washington's support for their NATO membership campaigns. But backing Bush has brought harsh criticism down on former Warsaw Pact states from French President Jacques Chirac, who said such strong pro-Washington leanings were out of place in future European Union members. That sent a shudder of fear through Romania and Bulgaria, who Chirac said were risking their EU membership, which offers much greater economic benefit than a seat in NATO. Washington has since rushed to bolster Bulgaria, which with Spain is one of just two states on the United Nations Security Council which are so far openly backing the draft U.S.-British resolution on Iraq's failure to comply with disarmament demands. Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg met Bush in Washington on Tuesday and was told U.S. allies would have post-war priority in the repayment of Iraqi debt. Baghdad has $1.7 billion of communist-era debt outstanding to Bulgaria. U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans is due in Sofia on Friday as part of a trip to discuss stronger economic ties with eastern Europe. Bulgaria has offered the U.S. the use of a Black Sea air base for any war in Iraq and has sanctioned the dispatch of 150 troops to near Iraq to tackle non-conventional warfare threats. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.online.bg/ASP/wwwbgweb2.asp?mode=article&artdate=2003/2/28&artno=30 Bulgaria Online February 28, 2003 Bulgaria Signs NATO Accession Protocol March 26 -[Lord Robertson] stressed that the Alliance won't hesitate to defend Eastern Europe. NATO Secretary General George Robertston confirmed in Vilnius that the seven NATO aspirants, who were invited to join NATO, will sign protocols for accession March 26 in Brussels, AFP reported, cited by the Bulgarian News Agency. Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were invited to join NATO at the Prague summit in November 2002. In the words of Robertson the signing of the protocols comes as recognition for the efforts these countries have made for becoming NATO full members. Following the protocols signing, NATO future member states will be allowed to take part in the meetings of NATO member ambassadors, Robertson said. He stressed that the Alliance won't hesitate to defend Eastern Europe. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
