NATO secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that 13 alliance members, among which Bulgaria, signed a letter concerning talks over the purchase of military transport aircraft.

On behalf of these countries the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) would start negotiations with Boeing on a weapons system partnership, Focus news agency reported.

Talks between Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the US have been ongoing for six months.

The countries were working on a plan for the creation of a Strategic Air Command (SAC). It would initially be made of three to four transport aircraft. International crew would operate the machines, Focus reported.

Due to the urgent need for strategic air transportation talks were expected to finish by the end of the year.

The aircraft would be used for NATO, EU and UN operations, as well as for national and international tasks.