|
 
Two Bulgarians were were kidnapped by militants in Iraq, July 9,
2004.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
ĦĦSOFIA, July 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Bulgaria will not change its stance
after two of its nationals were kidnapped by militants in Iraq, Bulgarian
Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said Friday.
"Bulgaria is a stable state with
a predictable foreign policy and we cannot expect it would change its
foreign policy because ofone or another group," Passy told state radio.
The hostage-takers threatened on Thursday to execute
two Bulgarian hostages if the US military did not release all Iraqi detainees
within 24 hours, the Arabian Al-Jazeera television station reported.
The Tawhid and Jihad group, which is accused of Al
Qaeda-link by the United States, sent a videotape to the television station to
announce the threat.
The two Bulgarian hostages have been identified by
the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry as civilian truck drivers Ivaylo Kepov and Georgi
Lazov.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry conveyed an emergency
meeting Thursday night on the hostage-taking. It also warned its nationals not
to travel to Iraq.
Bulgaria has received no demand from the
hostage-takers for a pullout of the 470 Bulgarian troops based in the southern
Iraqi city of Karbala.
The two drivers, who worked for a Bulgarian freight
company, arrived in Iraq in mid-June. They last contacted their company on June
28. They were kidnapped on Thursday as they were en route to the Iraqi city of
Mosul.
The Tawhid and Jihad group previously claimed
responsibility for the beheading of US businessman Nicholas Berg and South
Korean translator Kim Sun-il. Enditem | 
Breaking
News 
