Bulgaria FM Informs Arab Allies of Burgas Terror Probe

Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikolay Mladenov held a meeting with ambassadors from Arab countries to Bulgaria right after the Bulgarian government implicated Hezbollah in the 2012 Burgas bus bombing.

"Terrorism in all its forms is among the most dangerous threats for peace and security in every society. That is why it is Bulgaria's policy to work together with all our allies and friends in the fight against terrorism," stated Mladenov.

At the meeting, the Bulgarian top diplomat informed Arab ambassadors of his report and the details of the terror attack investigation, which were presented at Tuesday's Consultative Council for National Security at the President's Office.

It was in the briefing after the Council that Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov made the first official reference to an organization with respect to the Burgas attack by naming Hezbollah.

Israel and the US were quick to hold Hezbollah responsible for the July 18, 2012 bombing, which claimed the lives of 5 Israelis, their Bulgarian bus driver and the presumed suicide bomber.

According to details revealed by Tsvetanov, two of the attack's perpetrators had for several years resided in Lebanon.

Tuesday Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Mladenov also talked with Lebanese counterpart Adnan Mansour, expressing his hopes that Lebanon will assist in further investigations.

The Lebanese government has already confirmed that it will fully cooperate with Bulgarian authorities.

Mladenov has further stressed that Bulgaria will take further steps to react to the attack only within the framework of the EU and after first presenting investigation findings to its European partners for review.

The EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has released a statement stressing on the need for further reflection on the outcome of the investigation, which is not yet completed.