Nearly 200 US soldiers will arrive in Bulgarian aviation bases Novo Selo and Bezmer to test the joint usage of military facilities in Bulgaria and Romania, US ambassador to Bulgaria, John Beyrle said.

Unofficial information said that US troops will undergo military training near Bulgaria’s town of Sliven.

Dnevnik daily quoted Beyrle as saying that Bulgaria and the US would sign additional 12 agreements to the defence co-operation contract already approved before the arrival of the soldiers. The agreements arrange the security of the soldiers, customs duties payments and their attendance.

US Department of Defence and Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry are negotiating on the content of the additional agreements, Dnevnik said.

The first group of US soldiers will arrive to Romania in the summer of 2007, because the countries had already signed the additional agreements. The total number of US soldiers in Bulgaria and Romania will reach 2500 to 3000 people.

US army already searches for investors to be responsible for Novo Selo facilities.