US Ambassador to Sofia, James Warlick, voiced hope the rift in Bulgaria's Muslim Community will come to an end and Bulgarian Muslims will be able to elect their leaders by themselves.

Warlick spoke for the media before the start of the Saturday emergency Muslim conference in the capital, which he attended with several other foreign diplomats.

The Ambassador said he was grateful for having the opportunity to be together with the Bulgarian Muslim community, pointing out he had been very impressed by the fact that over 200 000 Muslims have signed the petition to hold the conference.

The forum is organized under the initiative of Muslim boards, imams and Muslims from all over Bulgaria.

The emergency Muslim conference is to decide on the thorny issue of who is going to be their Chief Mufti.

About 1 120 delegates have gathered at the Dedeman Princess hotel in the capital Sofia to attend the forum, which has been called by Mustafa Alish Hadzhi. Hadzhi has been elected Chief Mufti, but is not registered by the Court.

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