Bulgaria's contingent in the Iraqi town of Karbala should respect the customs and mentality of local Shia people, Director of Germany's Orient Institute in Hamburg Prof. Udo Steinbach told the Bulgarian Darik Radio on Wednesday.

On Tuesday US Marines in Iraq officially handed over to the Bulgarian peacekeeping battalion the control over the holy Shia city, 108km southern of capital Baghdad.

However, local Shia leaders enjoy great power over people in Karbala, the professor said. He stressed that the Bulgarian unit should make efforts to cooperate with the region's men of power rather than try to outweigh their authority.

Prof. Steinbach pointed religion as the Achilles heel of living in good terms with local people. Even the slightest sign of disrespect for their religious traditions could arouse great discontent, he underlined. According to the German expert Bulgaria's unit should use diplomacy to build friendly relations with the separate rival Shia fractions.

Some 480 Bulgarian troops take part in the international contingent that watches over security in Karbala spared from the recurrent clashes in the other parts of Iraq. The Bulgarian contingent will be under command of Polish forces which are to take over September 3 the control over five stabilization zones chosen by the Anglo-American forces. The Polish sector is located south of Baghdad between the frontiers with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

This region populated predominantly by Shiites borders the sector under British command to the south.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!