The government decision regarding the future of the Bulgarian military contingent in Iraq could be made within a week, local press quoted the country's Armed Forces chief as saying Friday.
Speaking after an official ceremony commemorating the end of World War II, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Zlatan Stoikov said the decision in this regard will be made by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers.
Under the current decree, the Bulgarian military mission will stay in Iraq till the end of 2008.
Bulgarian rangers serving in Iraq have been relocated from the Temporary Detainee Center "Ashraf." A few of them, along with some American soldiers, are protecting only the remaining U.S. property at the center.
According to Gen. Stoikov, the current plan is for Bulgarian soldiers to be withdrawn from Iraq. However, there is another possible scenario in view of the U.S. proposal to relocate the soldiers to two other military bases near Baghdad.
If Bulgaria accepts the proposal, the entire formula of the country's mission in Iraq will have to be changed since the offer provides for the Bulgarian army to take care of the complete security of either of the two bases, Gen. Stoikov said.
He believes that the option of increasing the strength of the Bulgarian contingent in Iraq does not exist since such a move will require additional funds.
The Bulgarian contingent in Iraq comprises about 150 military servicemen who have been in Ashraf since May 2006.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian soldiers deployed in Afghanistan were expected to return Friday, according to Bulgarian National Radio.
Two military companies from Bulgaria were serving in Kandahar and Kabul as part of the NATO peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua
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