Embassy of the United States

Ambassador McEldowney’s Interview with 24 Chassa Daily

Vassil Sotirov
August 29, 2008
Pages 11 and 34

Nancy McEldowney:
“Regardless of Who Sits in the White House We’ll Still Be Friends”

Madam Ambassador, what will be of highest priority during your tenure as ambassador to Bulgaria?

In simplest terms what I want to do is take what is already a very successful and very strong partnership and make it even stronger and more successful. We have already accomplished a lot between our two countries.  I take a lot of personal gratification in what has been accomplished here and I know that my government has been delighted with the partnership we have.  The U.S. invests a lot of significance in its relations with Bulgaria and my task is to build what is a comprehensive and enduring partnership between our countries and our governments and to work for the friendship between our two people. 

All your predecessors in the last 10-15 years had concerns about Bulgaria’s failures to combat corruption and organized crime.  Can you be more optimistic at the start of your mission?

For me it’s not really a question of optimism or pessimism.  The questions of institution building, the question of integrity throughout Bulgarian society  - that’s something the Bulgarian people want – that’s something the Bulgarian government has committed itself to building.  It’s not something that foreign diplomats are trying to impose on Bulgaria.  It’s something that the people and the authorities of this country want and with collaborative work and commitment can make very important progress on.  What we as a partner of Bulgaria want to do is to support the achievement of Bulgaria’s agenda on this very crucial area.

What did Bulgaria mean to you before getting your assignment here?

I have visited Bulgaria before but I haven’t had the honor and pleasure of working and living in your country.  I have spent a lot of time in the region.  I have known about Bulgaria for a very long time.  When I was a student I learned that Bulgaria was the cradle of the European civilization.  Here’s where European civilization actually began and has played a critical role in the development of Europe over time.  I have been very impressed with the rich traditions in the arts and culture that exist here.  I have been here for just ten days and I haven’t made any trips outside of Sofia yet but I look forward to the opportunity to go out and explore some of the architectural monuments and the natural beauties of Bulgaria.

What tips about Bulgaria did your predecessor John Beyrle give you?  Which of his recommendations are most important according to you?

I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to be able to talk to many of my predecessors – John Beyrle, Avis Bohlen, Sol Polanski, Richard Miles.  The one thing that I heard consistently from all of them was how delighted they were to be here, how fascinating and fun an experience it had been for them here and how gratified they were at the accomplishments they were able to achieve in the relationship and friendship between our two countries.

You are coming to serve in Bulgaria from Turkey – two neighboring countries with a difficult historical relationship and you are aware of this fact.  Will it make your mission here easier or not?

A knowledge of the past and a respect for the past is something that’s very important and helps you proceed in more informed and more effective way in the present.  But what I focus on is the future.  Both Bulgaria and Turkey are NATO allies of ours.  We have very strong and very positive relations with both countries and the relations between Bulgaria and Turkey are also very positive.

Your career shows a good knowledge of the Caucasus-Caspian region.  Your arrival here coincides with the escalation of the Russian-Georgian conflict.  Bulgaria as a Black Sea country is following those events with deep concern.  How will this conflict affect the regional and broader stability?  Do those tensions threaten to spread over neighboring regions like the Balkans for example?

We are deeply troubled by Russian actions in the course of this crisis.  We now have statements by the EU presidency,  by NATO, by the G-7 foreign ministers, all the international community that is looking at the situation has condemned Russian behavior and has called for Russia to abide by the condition of EU 6-point plan.  That’s really the crucial point here.  The U.S. and Bulgaria want positive productive relations with democratic Russia that plays by the rules.  The last two weeks have greatly complicated that process and have deeply troubled everyone who is concerned about stability not just in the Black Sea Region but across the European continent.  The last thing we want for Russia is to be isolated.  We are committed to trying to have as productive relationship with Russia as we can.  But the key now is for Russia to make the decision that that is also what it is interested in and prepared to forward.

It doesn’t seem easy to have Russian ambitions cooled down and at the same time to prevent it from isolation.

This is a problem that involves everyone that is concerned about the stability in Europe.  There has been a very strong consensus inside NATO, inside the EU, throughout the G-7.  Every one is looking at a way to find the right solution.  But the key is Russia must abide by the conditions of the EU 6-point which it agreed to but is now violating.  And with the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia they have complicated the situation further.

Is there a link between the approach to the Kosovo issue and the problems in the breakaway regions in the former Soviet Union?  Why is the U.S. government denying such a link?

I believe that the only people who draw a link between the two are those who are looking to justify Russian behavior.  There’s truly no comparison between the two situations. Kosovo was the subject of intensive deliberations of the United Nations, multiple UN Security Council resolutions.  This was something that the entire international community was focused on and working together in order to try to achieve the right outcome.  Russian behavior in the Georgia crisis is completely different.  I really see no parallel between the two.  We are hoping that Russia takes the right decision and fully withdraws its forces from Georgia, complies with the 6-point plan and get itself on a track of stability throughout the region.

Nabucco project seems stalled. Is it realistic to speak about alternative energy corridors in general that go around Russia and without Iran?

Energy is a crucial area and it is important for us to be clear about this.  A lot of slogans are used and people tend to either overcomplicate the situation or over-politicize it.  Energy is a vital resource that all of us need.  What we are trying to do is to ensure that energy does not become a tool of political manipulation by monopoly suppliers.  In order to achieve that goal, what we require is transparency, diversity and free market competition. And when we look at different energy projects we look at the level to which they meet those criteria.  If we and the countries from the region achieve that goal it will serve everybody’s best interest.

Do you have any concerns about Bulgaria’s participation in joint energy projects with Russia like the Bourgas- Alexandropoulos and South Stream pipelines, or the Belene nuclear power station?

I think that Bulgaria is committed to helping advance those criteria.  And our dialogue, the dialogue between the United States and Bulgaria on these issues has focused very much on transparency, diversity, and free market competition.  I think that this is what that the countries throughout the region are trying to achieve too.

Bulgarian is probably a difficult language for you. But tell us please what do you like in it?

I have had in fact some very brief opportunity to study Bulgarian.  I like languages in general because they help you understand a society, they help you understand people. I have found Bulgarian beautiful to the ear, and I also have seen in it a bit of the sense of humor that the Bulgarian people have.  My initial impressions are that the Bulgarians are very warm people and that they are people with sense of humor.
 
You have two small children.  How do you intend to combine your duties as an ambassador and a mother?

I don’t find it difficult.  I get a bit less sleep than I would like.  Our girls have brought my husband and me tremendous joy.  Being a mother is a source of tremendous personal satisfaction to me and every parent understands what I’m talking about.  This is something that is very energizing and in many respects has helped me be more effective professionally.

What does your husband plan to do?  Will he take up only family engagements?

My husband is keeping options open.  He is a retired pilot.  He’s been in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years.

What are your plans of spending your free time here?

First of all I hope I have some free time and I have already set for myself a number of issues that I’m hoping to explore.  I love being outdoors, I love hiking and I have read about and seen pictures of the mountains.  This coming weekend we hope to hike on Vitosha here, but I’m looking forward to visiting the Rhodopi, the Black Sea.  Your country has so much to offer in terms of its natural resources.  We are also very interested in  exploring Bulgaria’s history and its culture and doing what we can to both support that culture here and to try to facilitate exchanges between the American and Bulgarian culture between artists, performers, and academics.

What is the personal goal that you have set for yourself?

I plan to use my travels to do something that I think is really key for all Ambassadors and that is to listen; to listen to the government officials but also the citizens of this country - how do they feel, what do they think about our relationship.  Listening and learning from the people in this country is how I see one of my major tasks here.

Many people will tell you how strongly they feel about having the U.S. visas lifted for Bulgarians.  Do you expect any progress on this issue?

We feel very strongly that Bulgaria should be in the VWP.  To achieve that goal we have agreed on a road map and we put serious efforts to make it happen.  There are legislative requirements that the U.S. Congress has imposed that must be met.   I am committed to working with the government of Bulgaria and doing everything possible that together we ensure those requirements are met and that Bulgaria can enter into this program.

What will be impact of the change of the U.S. Administration on that process?

If I could predict the future I would be a very happy person.  We have very lively debate going on in the States right now in the context of our presidential campaign.  Nobody knows who will be the next president.  But there is something that I feel confident about and that is - regardless of who is sitting in the White House the enduring interest and the very close sense of partnership and friendship between the United States and Bulgaria will continue.