Deal Working for U.S. Military in Bulgaria

(Sofia, Bulgaria) With the drawdown of American forces in Germany, Bulgaria is a desirable Eastern European location to have U.S. influence. Strategically, there are port facilities on the Black Sea and short air travel distances to both Central Asia and the Middle East.

From the Stars and Stripes:

The United States expects to finalize negotiations with Bulgaria in the fall that may grant U.S. troops additional access to military bases in the country, U.S. and Bulgarian officials announced Wednesday.

James Pardew, the U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria, said he expected to reach an agreement about use of the Novo Selo training area, about 25 miles from Sliven, and nearby Bezmer Air Base, as early as September, when Bulgaria’s new government is slated to take power.

It's certain that Bulgarians are anxious to develop stronger economic ties with the U.S., however, it's also certain that they will want to move slowly. Ilko Dimitzov, deputy defense minister for Bulgaria, stressed that "the deal would not create a large, permanent presence of U.S. military forces."

"They will become U.S. bases, but not in the sense of U.S. bases in Germany," said Col. Yordan Yordanov, a Bulgarian Defense Ministry official who oversees cooperation with the U.S. military, in an interview with Stars and Stripes. "It will not be building cities, building PXs (post exchanges), commissaries, fitness centers and swimming pools."

It is still unclear whether the Bulgarian bases would serve as forward operating bases that could be used for deployments or if they would simply be cooperative locations for training, Dimitzov said.

It's a foot in the door. Now I have to find an English-Bulgarian dictionary.