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Sat, May 26 2012
President Purvanov backs missile shield
President Georgi Purvanov
Photo: Krassimir Yuskesseliev
President Purvanov has backed the idea of Bulgaria's inclusion in a missile shield that covers Nato territory.
The President's view, which seems to match that of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, follows a period of tension between Sofia and Moscow over Bulgaria's stance on the matter.
The President confirmed, however, that no formal discussions had taken place between Bulgaria and the US over the shield. Yet he added that Bulgaria should not be excluded from any prospective defensive system that embraces Nato. "If there is a missile shield that covers the territory of Nato there is no sense in leaving say Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey outside the shield’s scope, as we are all close to potential threats," he said.
Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry told Russia in an official note that it had not yet held any talks on joining a planned US missile shield in Europe. The note was in response to an official request for explanation from the Russian foreign ministry.
Borissov, Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov and the US ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, are among those who have underlined that there have been no formal negotiations about Bulgaria participating in the system, and that any discussions about defence systems have taken place only in the context of the Nato partnership.
The President's view, which seems to match that of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, follows a period of tension between Sofia and Moscow over Bulgaria's stance on the matter.
The President confirmed, however, that no formal discussions had taken place between Bulgaria and the US over the shield. Yet he added that Bulgaria should not be excluded from any prospective defensive system that embraces Nato. "If there is a missile shield that covers the territory of Nato there is no sense in leaving say Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey outside the shield’s scope, as we are all close to potential threats," he said.
Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry told Russia in an official note that it had not yet held any talks on joining a planned US missile shield in Europe. The note was in response to an official request for explanation from the Russian foreign ministry.
Borissov, Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov and the US ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, are among those who have underlined that there have been no formal negotiations about Bulgaria participating in the system, and that any discussions about defence systems have taken place only in the context of the Nato partnership.
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I assume the 'missile shield' that they are talking about involves the deployment of missiles equipped with nuclear weapons. I can give some advice to Mister Purvanov,I suggest that Mister Purvanov should try to create a nuclear aftermath treaty. A nuclear aftermath treaty would provide a legal framework for any actions taken in the aftermath of a nuclear war. If Mister Purvanov or other Bulgarians can write a nuclear aftermath treaty,they can ask the leaders of other countries to sign it. I think that many European leaders have been short-sighted,because they have never written a nuclear aftermath treaty. Have you [...]
Read the full comment ever thought about what you would do the day after an atomic bomb was dropped on a city? Since I'm the one who proposed the idea of a nuclear aftermath treaty,I should tell you a little about it. A nuclear aftermath treaty would require nations to agree that the area where any atomic bomb was detonated should be immediately declared to be a de-militarized zone.
"voila valeri is this not an example of politicians trying to please themselves?"
I assume you mean this as "to serve themselves", and no, I don't think so. Serving themselves would imply personal material gain, and no one here's even making the suggestion.
It would be wrong to place the blame at the politicians' feet only. I seriously doubt that any BG politician would be in position of resisting American pressure. I probably would do the same, in their shoes, as much as I would hate to play ball with the US. [...]
Read the full comment Very few in politics are doing what they would really like to do. It doesn't work that way.
The only way we can change the move towards militarizing BG, is by grassroots anti-American, and anti-military movement. Without that cover, we can expect little from our politicians...
voila valeri is this not an example of politicians trying to please themselves?
shirley
Russia, US, Poland, TIBET, ISRAEL, India UN, EU, and so on...
I think you omitted Haiti, North Korea Cuba and Madagascar!
Give it a rest, this is about BG being placed in a very uncomfortable spot by the US and Tibet has nothing to do with it.
Man, people are just so out there sometimes...
Morons! We are such a cheap sellouts it hurts me in the gut. Missiles-shmissiles - at the end we're still going to be the poorest country in Europa but also a target of Russian nukes, and the world's anti-american sentiment.
Why dosent Russia think it strange US told Bulgaria to get its gas from somehere besides Russia what does that have to do withIran.US original sheild didnt even cover southern europe.Iran does not have capacity to reach Poland.US admitted lying about Irans nuclear program if US was mkore flexible the whole issue could be resolved.US dosent want this an d is demanding Iran has no nuclear program at all.The game is TIBET and to cripple russias defences.ISRAEL and US aretrying to rewrite history US just gave India the green light and means to expand its poliferation program no in west [...]
Read the full comment has said anything. the IAEA is again being used as a mouthpiece for US warmongering and propaganda inuendo entrigue twisting words and reports to make them fit yourpropaganda objective does not in anyway replace facts the IAEA should resist this role and behave in a way that resolves issues through dialougeflexabile innicatives.and genuine resalutions that satisfy allinvolved.This is the role it was designed for the last few years has seen a marked departure from this role.as with the UN which only in the last few months has found some independence again after being bullied by US EU agendas these institutions must remain independant and not loaded with pro US propaganarists.
The idea that someone from the Middle East is going to waste its
nuclear bombs on Bulgaria or Romania, least of all on Greece and Turkey is ludicrous. King Boris of Bulgaria was able to
deny Hitler the Bulgarian troups
for the Eastern front. But the rulers in Sofia and Bucharest
today are falling on their faces under the pressure of forces they cannot not refuse. After WW II we
hoped for a new world- world of peace and justice. This world is turning into something else. Somewhere, some world [...]
Read the full comment leaders are obcessed with the paranoya of war-
mongering and have targeted Russia
for destruction. How many millions have to die for this lunatic policy? We may only hope that it will not come to that=