Cablegate: Israeli President Promotes Trade and Signs Visa

VZCZCXRO8645
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHSF #0835 1651126
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141126Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2070
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0132

UNCLAS SOFIA 000835

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR SCOTT BRANDON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ETRD CVIS IS BU
SUBJECT: ISRAELI PRESIDENT PROMOTES TRADE AND SIGNS VISA
WAIVER IN SOFIA

1. SUMMARY: Israeli President Moshe Katzav paid a two-day
state visit to Bulgaria on June 11-12 that focused on
promoting political dialogue, intensifying trade and
economic contacts and encouraging investments in Bulgaria.
News reports quote Katzav characterizing the visit as "very
successful" and "extremely productive". The two presidents
signed a visa waiver agreement. END SUMMARY.

2. Katzav and Bulgarian President Parvanov opened on June
12 a Bulgarian-Israeli business forum with the participation
of 80 Bulgarian companies and 15 Israeli companies working
in the areas of construction, real estate,
telecommunications, high-tech, marketing and consultancy
services. According to Parvanov, agriculture, food
processing, tourism, and defense are traditional areas for
Bulgarian-Israeli commercial relations, but there are
opportunities for intensification of trade and investment.
Katzav called upon businessmen to establish contacts and
invest, pointing out that there was a very considerable
niche for development in information technology.

3. During the visit, Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Feim
Chaushev and Israeli Ambassador to Sofia Avraham Sharon
signed a Visa Waiver Agreement that is expected to come into
force within six months. Under the accord, Bulgarians will
be able to travel without visas for a stay of up to 90 days
in Israel. Last year 103,523 Israeli citizens visited
Bulgaria, ranking Israel 11th in terms of visitors to
Bulgaria. A total of 11,404 Bulgarians visited Israel,
ranking it 22nd in terms of destinations preferred by
Bulgarians.

4. This was the second visit to Bulgaria by an Israeli head
of State since 1991, when President Haim Herzog visited
Sofia. Katzav met also Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev and
parliamentary speaker Georgi Pirinski. The Bulgarian Jewish
community greeted him in its Synagogue in downtown Sofia,
where he was met by Emil Kalo, Chairman of the Shalom
organization Bulgaria.

BEYRLE

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