SOFIA – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on an official trip to Sofia Sunday, met Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, followed immediately by a meeting with PM Boyko Borisov and cabinet ministers, Novinite reported.
A press-conference of Clinton and Borisov was scheduled after the meeting. Among the items on the agenda were latest top security issues, including the nuclear program in Iran and escalating violence in Syria.
Bulgarian media have speculated that among the questions discussed is whether Bulgaria will allow one of the US military bases in the country to be used for a potential strike against Iran, after Turkey has refused to do the same. Other matters of discussion relate to energy security, where Clinton was likely to press for the development of shale gas in Bulgaria, for which US energy company Chevron has an interest.
Voice of America said Clinton was expected to urge Bulgaria to develop new energy sources and break its dependence on Russia for its oil and gas supplies.
Clinton flew to Bulgaria from the German city of Munich, where she attended an international security conference on Saturday.