Xinhuanet

The United States on Friday sent the first shipment of its military equipment and food supplies to Bulgaria from its military base in Germany, in preparations of a possible US-led war on Iraq, local newspaper reported on Saturday.

The military supplies, carried by two chartered AN-12 cargo planes, arrived at the Sarafovo airport near the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas, the newspaper said.

Bulgarian police heightened security at the airport against possible terrorist attacks or disturbances by the country's anti-war protesters. The US military supplies were upon arrival immediately taken by trucks to a depot near the airport, where some US ground troops are to be deployed.

The report said the US military would use C130 transport planes to ship more military supplies to Bulgaria within the next few days.

Another media report said 152 Bulgarian anti-nuclear, anti-chemical and anti-biological troops were on standby for leaving for the Gulf region at any US request to join a war.

If a war last three months, the troops to be sent to the Gulf would cost a total of 21 million US dollars, to be completely shouldered by the Bulgarian government, the report said.

On Feb. 7, Bulgaria's parliament approved a government proposalto provide an air corridor for US troops in the event of a war with Iraq, and allow the use of the Sarafovo airport by 18 US aircraft and deployment of 400 US ground troops in the east European country.

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