Bulgaria will join the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, British General Jeremy MacKenzie, former Deputy Allied Commander for Europe, and consultant on Plan 2004, confirmed after his meeting with Defence Minister Nikolay Svinarov on January 11. General MacKenzie expressed Britain's determination to support Bulgaria for its future NATO entry. According to Minister Svinarov Bulgaria' s negotiations with Britain are soon to be completed. Earlier in the day Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Elena Poptodorova said that technical difficulties have prevented Bulgaria from joining the memorandum, signed on January 10 in London. The memorandum of understanding deals with finalizing the efforts coordination in Afghanistan reconstruction. Britain said it would lead the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan for only the first three months, with Turkey a candidate to take over the role.
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