Bulgaria Warns Gaddafi May Use Chemical Weapons against Libyans

Defense | March 20, 2011, Sunday // 20:54|  views

Bulgarian Defense Minister Gen. Angelov (left) with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Photo by BGNES

The regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi still has reserves of chemical weapons, Bulgaria's Defense Minister Gen. Anyu Angelov has warned.

Gaddafi is currently being targeted by Western-led international forces in Operation Odyssey Dawn started Saturday to impose a no-fly zone over Libya mandated by the UN Security Council as he has been cracking down on a popular uprising including the murder of many civilians.

Gaddafi's stock of chemical weapons is limited, and he can use them only against his own people, Bulgaria's Defense Minister said on Nova TV Sunday night.

He further noted that the Libyan dictator can use Soviet-made Scud missiles against the international forces targeting regime targets with a radius of 300 km. Angelov did note, however, that the Scud missiles can be destroyed in the air.

Angelov defined the goals of the international military intervention in Libya as, first, to deny the dictator the option of slaughtering his own people, and, second, to topple him from power.

According to the Defense Minister, the Bulgarian government will make a decision on how exactly to participate in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya by Monday.

He pointed out that Bulgaria can commit two medical teams for a humanitarian mission on the ground, and one of its three frigates – "Drazki" – for enforcing the international arms embargo against Libya by patrolling in the Mediterranean.

He also said the Western power leading the international military operation in Libya – the USA, France, and the UK – have not asked Sofia for a military contribution, and made it clear that the condition of the Bulgarian air force hardly allows any participation with respect to the enforcement of the no-fly zone.

"We are not even in the condition to take part an air operation together with NATO forces because currently we only have fighter jets MiG-21 and MiG-29," Angelov said with respect to Bulgaria's aviation and its almost retired Soviet-made planes. His team has been preparing the purchase of modern Western-produced fighter jets, most likely eight of them, by 2015.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has announced that in spite of the several evacuation efforts there are still about 200 Bulgarian citizens remaining in Libya. He called upon them not to attempt to leave the country because of the ongoing military actions.

He did mention that Bulgaria has the means to carry out an emergency evacuation operation if needed but that the need for that is being considered by the Cabinet.

Bulgaria condemns the actions of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and is urging him to resign before more human blood is shed, said Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov.

On Sunday, he convened a meeting on the situation in Libya, which included Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov, Defense Minister Anyu Angelov, the Head of Defense, General Simeon Simeonov, Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitar Tsanchev, and the heads of the State Agency for National Security, National Intelligence Service and Military Information Service.

They discussed Bulgaria's options for participation in the enforcement of Resolution 1973/2011 of the United Nations Security Council and assessed the situation in Libya, where there still are Bulgarian citizens.

"Bulgaria condemns the actions of the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi against civilians. He lost his legitimacy and must step down before more innocent human blood is shed. Bulgaria will support a decision, based on international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council. At the same time, we will definitely fulfill our obligations as allies within NATO and the EU," Borisov said.

Earlier on Sunday he stated that the international military operation in Libya is too late as it should have been led when the Bulgarian medics were absolutely undeserved detained.

His statement was in regards to the ordeal that six Bulgarian medics suffered in the so-called "Libya HIV Trial" as they were jailed in Libya in 1999-2007 for allegedly infecting deliberately 400 children with HIV.

"This operation is very late and is led against a much stronger opponent," Borisov said Sunday.

He confirmed the earlier statement by the Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov that the country is ready to send humanitarian aid to Libya.

Borisov said that if the operation continues for more than 90 days, Bulgaria will also send a frigate to support military embargo by sea.

"When there is such a war, when the region is so turbulent, when oil prices drag down absolutely all other prices, when billions are poured into a military action – we can expect nothing good," Borisov said.

On Saturday, Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov announced that "hardly anyone is more interested than Bulgaria to see the end of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi", also referring to the Libya HIV Trial and the order of the Bulgarian medics.

The President said he believes that Bulgaria should not take part in the international military operation in Libya but that it should lend an all-out support for tackling the humanitarian crisis. Virtually the same position was expressed on Friday by the Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov on behalf of the Borisov Cabinet.

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Tags: Muammar Gaddafi, Libya, Anyu Angelov, Defense Minister, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, Georgi Parvanov, Bulgarian President, Drazki frigate, no-fly zone, USA, France, UK, Nikolay Mladenov, evacuation, Scud missiles, chemical weapons

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