Bulgarians will manage the joint American-Bulgarian military bases. The joint bases would be used to increase the effectiveness of the Bulgarian army, Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said. Bulgaria has a national interest in the establishment of such bases and a suitable solution would be found through negotiations, Kalfin said.
By New Year's Eve, hopefully the Bulgarian troops in Iraq would return, the minister said. Bulgaria managed to carry out a successful mission in Iraq. The country would keep its engagement with the international peacekeeping forces in their effort to stabilise Iraq, Kalfin said. Earlier, President Georgi Purvanov confirmed that in place of the current mission, Bulgaria would send security troops. According to previous statements by Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov,  a 120-member division will guard Ashraf prison camp, without participating in military operations, mediapool.bg reported.