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| Europe |
| Bulgaria stands firm on Iraq |
| 2004-07-14 |
| Bulgaria on Wednesday stood firm on its Iraq policy and said it was not withdrawing its troops despite the execution of one Bulgarian hostage by militants in Iraq and the threat hanging over a second. "There is no change in Bulgaria’s policy on Iraq at this moment. We are not considering withdrawing our troops," government spokesman Dimitar Tsonev told Reuters. Bulgaria has 470 troops in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition. The country, a new member of NATO, fought a five-day diplomatic battle to save the two truck drivers, held by a militant group threatening to kill them unless U.S.-held Iraqi prisoners were released. Al Jazeera television said on Tuesday it would not air a video showing the group led by suspected al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killing one Bulgarian because it was too gruesome. "Bulgaria must continue to support Iraq and its reconstruction, stabilisation and democratic development," said a joint statement by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and parliament. "The battle to defend universal values against fanaticism requires consistency, courage and stamina," it added. Last Thursday, the militants threatened to kill the hostages in 24 hours unless the United States released imprisoned Iraqis. The militants again threatened on Tuesday to execute the second Bulgarian hostage within 24 hours (2000 GMT) unless the United States complied with their demands. "In this difficult moment we express our deep anxiety and indignation," the joint Bulgarian statement said. "We are doing everything possible to save the life of our other compatriot and we appeal to the captors for his release." Bulgarian officials would not disclose which of the two men Georgi Lazov, 30, or Ivailo Kepov, 32, had been killed, saying they were waiting to see the full video from Al Jazeera, but Bulgarian media said the executed man was Lazov. "I cannot say officially. Media have identified who it is from the videotape," Tsonev said. Bulgarian television showed Lazov’s mother, Maria, crying uncontrollably. "I don’t think this was my Goshko, he’s bigger than the man shown on television," she said from her home in Kocherinovo village, southern Bulgaria. "What can I say... he was a very good boy, he never got into brawls." The two men were drivers transporting cars from Bulgaria to the city of Mosul when they disappeared on June 27. Bulgaria said they were simple workers, not political people. Defence Ministry officials said a shootout in the Iraqi city of Mosul late on Tuesday may have provoked the militants into executing the hostage. "There was a shootout in Mosul, in which two militants were killed in the afternoon. After that the situation changed radically," on official said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #2 Al Jazeera television said on Tuesday it would not air a video showing the group led by suspected al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killing one Bulgarian because it was too gruesome. They said the same thing about the Italian who resisted at the last moment. Methinks the Bulgarian actually put up a fight. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2004-07-14 11:49:12 AM |
| #1 I've known a Bulgarian who is one of the international cadets at West Point. Pretty impressive guy. If he's representative, the Bulgarians will hang tough. |
| Posted by: rkb 2004-07-14 9:43:37 AM |