White House Hails Relations With Bulgaria

[Judi Lynn]

White House Hails Relations With Bulgaria
Sat Sep 20, 7:49 PM ET Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!



WASHINGTON - The White House hailed 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Bulgaria on Saturday and pronounced the relationship between the two countries "at an historic level."



"The United States rejoiced at Bulgaria's return to democracy and freedom after 1989," said a statement issued by Press Secretary Scott McClellan. "Since then our relationship has grown even stronger and deeper.


"The president helped lead the decision by NATO (news - web sites)'s heads of state in November 2002 to invite Bulgaria into the NATO alliance and last May the senate voted unanimously to support Bulgaria's NATO relationship," it continued.


"Bulgaria has been a strong supporter, friend and partner of the United States and will soon be an ally. Bulgaria and the United States stand together in the global war on terrorism. In the Security Council and with troops on the ground in Iraq (news - web sites), Bulgaria has been a firm supporter of ending the Saddam regime and of helping the Iraqi people build a free, peaceful and democratic state. We look forward to a strong and cooperative relationship with Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people in the years to come." (snip/...)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030920/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_bulgaria

[Paschall]

1. Thanks. Enjoyed those pics of the "New Europe"!

;-)

[NYC]

2. Yes, and we mustn't forget the busloads of prostitutes Bulgaria sent

to the American soldiers.

[ginantonic40]

3. Now once we get Albania on board...

it will be a true coalition of the Great Powers.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

10. You can't forget the all mighty superior Moldova!

Then it will be a coalition of the "great powers"!

[priller]

4. We found a country that likes us!

--nt--

[Democat]

5. Can Bush find it on a map?

I doubt it.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Now THAT was a short honeymoon!

(snip) US "Disappointed" By Appointment of Bulgaria's Special Services Chief



Politics: 21 September 2003, Sunday.
"Everyone in US is disappointed by the appointment of gen.Brigo Asparuhov", Bruce Jackson, President of the US Committee on NATO Enlargement told local btv television.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg appointed Asparuhov for special services coordinator. Asaparuhov was later downgraded was downgraded to "expert assistant", after it became clear that the coordinator post actually does not exist in the state administration system.

"A few months ago when that matter was discussed friends and allies of Bulgaria warned that this person was linked to the former security services, that he is against Bulgaria's NATO entry and that his conceptions of democracy and political transparency are quite vague.", Jackson said.

He added that this was the reason why US advised Bulgaria not to appoint Asparuhov. "We thought that this matter was over, so it was really disappointing and quite shocking to understand that this man was appointed," he commented.

Jackson said that he expects that western governments would soon express their negative attitude towards Asparuhov's appointment as well. (snip/...)

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=26332

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"his conceptions of democracy and political transparency are quite vague." :silly: :crazy:

[CaptAhab]

7. Heh

I was born in Bulgaria... We were on the losing side in two world wars and the Cold War, so perhaps it's a good sign that Whistle Ass wants us on his side. Little does he know :-) Oh, and the current government of Bulgaria consists of individuals with questionable backgrounds, most of whom claimed to have made considerable fortunes from their businesses abroad, and they had only returned to Bulgaria because they loved their country. Journalist investigations revealed that a lot of these people were involved in shady business deals and numerous scandals, and had essentially no qualifications to manage a business, let alone an entire country. I guess they'll be good company for the failed oilman currently occupying the White House.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi sun6302!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Warren Stuart]

8. OK, Now I've entered the Twilight Zone

Bulgaria and the words free, peaceful and democratic in the same sentence. Isn't this one of the countries where women have been kidnapped and sold into prostitution and the government does nothing?

[9215]

9. Another member of the "coalition of the bribed".

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/134634238_willing14.html

Nansen Behar, who runs the Institute for Social and Political Studies in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, contends there is more pragmatism than sentimentality behind many former Soviet bloc countries' support. Bulgaria, he suggested, hopes that backing the United States will bring sorely needed loans and investment.


Here is a CSpan take with Ari Fleischer where he mentions Bulgaria in the early part of the briefing.
http://www.cspan.org/ go to 2/25/03. Was under "most watched video". This also shows him being laughed off the podium for saying that foreign countries are not bought by the US.

[Dr Fate]

12. ALRIGHT! BULGARIA!!!!

Um, where is Bulgaria anyway?

[legin]

13. To paraphrase...

"bush*'s coalitions are God's way of teaching Americans geography".

[Malva Zebrina]

14. Thank God!

at last we have Bulgaria on our side

[Warren Stuart]

15. Up next, Upper Inner Outer Mongolia

We have a critical need for Yak hearders in Baghdad.