Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Passy harshly criticized Iraqi charge d'affaires in Sofia Yahia Salih Mahdi for his public threats that all US bases will be targets of Iraq in case of war.

"I think that all ambassadors who are accredited in Bulgaria have to carefully choose their words and to limit them to the diplomatic tone," Passy commented before the regular weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday.

"All US bases across the world will be targets of our strikes. The true Muslim has to choose between victory and death," Mahdi said in the Bulgarian seaside city of Burgas on Wednesday.

He added that seven million people have been armed and prepared to defend Iraq. In his opinion, the probable strikes against Iraq might begin from Burgas where US troops are being stationed. He voiced his hopes that Bulgaria will join France, Germany and Russia in their position on Iraq.

On Thursday, Mahdi said that his words were exaggerated by journalists. Iraq threatens neither Sarafovo residential district, nor seaside city Burgas, he added.

He added that Iraq would never attack a friendly country like Bulgaria.

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