The Bulgarian medics sentenced to death in Libya, future US investment possibilities in Bulgaria, easing of visa requirements for Bulgarians to enter the US, and controversial US plans for a missile shield over Europe were the main subjects discussed during US president George Bush’s visit to Bulgaria on June 11.
Bush’s visit to Sofia rounded off his week-long European tour that included the G8 summit in Germany, as well as visits to the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Albania.
In the early morning of June 11, amid tight security, Bush was officially welcomed by Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov near Sofia’s Alexander Nevsky Square. Bush greeted dignitaries, laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, and had a brief chat with soldiers who had taken part in US-led military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After the official ceremony, Bush was driven to Purvanov’s office for a private discussion, the results of which were later revealed to a large number of Bulgarian and foreign journalists at Sofia’s National Archaeological Museum.
Calling each other by their first names, (or at least in the case of Purvanov, an adaptation thereof, “George”), the two heads of state took turns to express gratitude for each other’s support.
Purvanov said that he was happy with the success of their meeting, the second of its kind after Bush welcomed Purvanov at the White House in 2005.
“The US and Bulgaria continue to be good, reliable partners within Nato, within the peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world. This is a firm, long-term commitment. It is not affected by the changes and setup of the political situations in both countries,” Purvanov said.
One of the most important subjects discussed was the future economic relations between the US and Bulgaria. Purvanov said that these had definitely improved in the past few years, but there was much more potential for further development. (For more information on the economic aspects from the meeting, see page 9).
Purvanov expressed hope that visa restrictions between Bulgaria and the US would soon be lifted. Bulgaria would do its best to meet the necessary security requirements.
Bush’s response was that the US needed to reform its visa system. He said that the system was outdated and could be reformed to work better for the citizens of Bulgaria. Bush said that the US was in the middle of an immigration debate and he was working with the US congress to reform the visa system.
“I hope that my country understands that it’s in our interest to treat people with respect and to treat people fairly,” Bush said, and emphasised that he hoped that the issue would soon be resolved in a satisfactory way.
On another issue significant to Bulgaria, the five Bulgarian medics sentenced to death in Libya, Bush reiterated US support for the nurses and said that he was “deeply concerned” about them. The issue was a high priority for the US, he said. In relation to this subject, one of the only two questions allowed from the Bulgarian side was whether Bush would lobby congress, and press that some of the funds under Bush’s five-year programme for fighting HIV-AIDS go to supporting the children infected with AIDS and their families. Bush said that the US was already contributing to an international fund to benefit the children. He said that Bulgaria need not be concerned about the source of the funding, but whether the US was contributing financially to the cause in the first place. He said that America had voiced, and would continue to voice, its position on the case to Libya, which was that the medics should be freed. Nonetheless, Bush underlined, there must be some sort of “compensation” for the infected children and their families.
An important issue raised with Bush by a Bulgarian journalist was the controversial missile shield that the US wants to build on the territories of Poland and the Czech Republic. Bush said that the missile shield would be aimed at long-range missiles that would fly over Bulgaria.
“So just because Bulgaria is not a part of the longer-range missile shield doesn’t mean that there won’t be equipment and help available for intermediate range,” Bush said.
Bush outlined the objections expressed by Russian president Vladimir Putin during the G8 summit in Germany, when Bush assured Putin the shield would not be aimed at Russia, while Putin suggested that instead of constructing a new system, an existing one in Azerbaijan be “jointly” used.
Purvanov welcomed the strategic dialogue between Russia and the US. “We Bulgarians would accept any solution that ... has been achieved, hammered out through dialogue and in transparency, any solution that is not directed against a third country, notably Russia, in this case,” Purvanov said.
He emphasised that Bulgaria need not choose between its friendship with the US and Russia, because maintaining good relations with both sides was of equal importance to Bulgaria. He illustrated his point by referring to the US and Russian presidents by their first names, George and Vladimir, and saying he was friends with both and intended to be so in the future.
Bush also had talks with Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev. Bush’s meeting with Stanishev covered the same topics as the meeting with Purvanov, including the medics in Libya, future economic relations between Bulgaria and the US, participation of US companies in energy projects in Bulgaria, the anti-missile shield, and Kosovo’s future status.
While Bush was holding official meetings, the two first ladies, Zorka Purvanova and Laura Bush, took part in a roundtable discussion on HIV and AIDS in Bulgaria. They opened a children’s corner at the National Library. Mrs Bush donated a few hundred books, some of which she said were her and her husband’s favourites.
The US presidential couple attended an official lunch at the National History Museum in the Boyana district, where a large number of other politicians and diplomats were also present. After the lunch, Bush held a round table discussion with students from the American University in Bulgaria.
