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By VESELIN TOSHKOV
Associated Press Writer
Bulgaria: Clinton talks to focus on energy81 days ago
(AP:SOFIA, Bulgaria) Bulgaria's foreign minister says she will seek greater involvement from U.S. companies in energy projects when she meets Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on Monday.
Bulgaria is seeking help from the United States to wean itself from dependence on Russian energy supplies. Relations with Russia soured earlier this year after Bulgaria was hard-hit when a Russian-Ukrainian dispute over gas supplies left homes throughout Europe without gas for heating.
Prime Minister Boiko Borisov's new conservative government, which took office after July elections, has made diversification of energy supplies its priority.
"We would like to see U.S. businesses take part in large energy projects in Bulgaria, including the planned construction of a second nuclear plant," Foreign Minister Rumyana Zheleva said in an interview with the AP Friday, ahead of the visit.
Zheleva said projects, including gas and oil pipelines, nuclear and other energy facilities, could be "partly or fully restructured in a way that could make them attractive to U.S. investors, too."
"I value highly the opportunity to discuss with Secretary of State Clinton our bilateral relations and particularly energy security issues," Zheleva added.
Among the priorities for Bulgaria is the Nabucco gas pipeline that will carry gas from the Caspian region and Middle East to European Union countries. It will run from Turkey through Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary to Austria.
The United States is a keen supporter of the project, seen as key to Europe's efforts to lessen its dependence on Russian energy.
Bulgaria's participation in the international coalition in Afghanistan, where close to 500 soldiers from the Balkan country are part of the NATO force, is also expected to be on the agenda.
"We are aiming also to strengthen our participation in the stabilization of public institutions in Afghanistan by providing professional training to Afghan public officials," Zheleva said. She did not say whether Bulgaria was planning to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan.
During its transition from communism to democracy over the past 20 years, Bulgaria has repeatedly been criticized by the West for failing to promote the rule of law and implement swift legal and judicial reforms to combat corruption and organized crime.
Zheleva, whom Bulgaria has nominated as its new EU commissioner, promised to make amends.
"The first steps of our government show the strong political will to promote the rule of law and to clean up the tarnished image of the country," she said.
Bulgaria's former prime minister and three ministers from his previous Socialist-led government are facing charges or have been placed under investigation for mismanagement and corruption.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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