US Troops Pick Three Bulgarian Bases - Minister / Legal Services in Bulgaria

US Troops Pick Three Bulgarian Bases - Minister

Sofia News Agency, www.novinite.com
Kuzmanov Legal Services in Bulgaria

The US troops are to deploy to three new bases in Bulgaria, the country's defense minister said during his visit to Washington, but declined to name them. Minister Svinarov conferred with Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defense Secretary, and Steven Hadley, national security adviser to President George W. Bush. Negotiations are nearing the finish line and are expected to be wrapped up in March, Minister Svinarov said, as cited by the Bulgarian News Agency. Last month NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and commander of American troops in Europe General James Jones made a trip to Bulgaria and Romania, where the US were to choose from four of five locations for the prospective military sites in each country. The facilities are to be used by Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine units. In Bulgaria the Americans have shown interest for the grounds of Bezmer and Atia and also the firing ground at Novo Selo, near the town of Sliven, where special units can be drilled. US plans envisage that Sliven's Novo Selo trains land troops, Yambol's Bezmer airport serves as air base, and Burgas' Atia offers the Pentagone a marine base. Black Sea ports of Bulgaria, a full-fledged NATO member since April last year, have already been used by the US army during the Iraqi war in 2003.