U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND HER BULGARIAN COUNTERPART SIGNED AN AGREEMENT FRIDAY ALLOWING U.S. TROOPS TO BE DEPLOYED IN THIS FORMER WARSAW PACT COUNTRY, AP REPORTED. UNDER THE 10-YEAR DEAL, SEEN AS PART OF A BROADER U.S. MILITARY STRATEGY OF SHIFTING TROOPS BASED IN EUROPE FARTHER EAST, UP TO 2,500 U.S. TROOPS WILL BE DEPLOYED IN THE BALKAN COUNTRY ON A ROTATIONAL BASIS. RICE, HAILING THE DEAL AS «FOUNDATIONAL» FOR THE BROAD PARTNERSHIP WITH BULGARIA, SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ALONG WITH BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IVAILO KALFIN. «IT IS AN AGREEMENT THAT INDEED WILL ENHANCE OUR COOPERATION ALLOWING THE SHARED USE OF BULGARIAN TRAINING FACILITIES AND STRENGTHENING OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE TOGETHER,» RICE SAID. «BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT, IT IS A REALLY FOUNDATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR THE BROAD PARTNERSHIP THAT BULGARIA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE DEVELOPING.» KALFIN SAID THE DEAL «NOT ONLY ENHANCES SECURITY IN BULGARIA, BUT ALSO IN THE WHOLE REGION.» THE UNITED STATES WILL HAVE WIDER USE OF FOUR MILITARY FACILITIES IN BULGARIA, GIVING U.S. FORCES A JUMPING-OFF POINT CLOSER TO POTENTIAL HOTSPOTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE U.S. IS INTERESTED IN SMALL, FLEXIBLE BASES, DIFFERENT FROM THOSE SET UP TO HOUSE LARGE NUMBERS OF TROOPS DURING THE COLD WAR.
