(15 May 2003) SHOTLIST
1. Large billowing Bulgarian and US flags on side of building, pulls out to crowd
2. Crowd waving small US and Bulgarian flags
3. Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (blue open-neck shirt) and entourage walk through square, past cheering crowds
4. US Secretary of State Colin Powell and entourage pass crowds
5. Crowd with flags
6. Two armed security men wearing in body armour in cherry-picker crane
7. Pull out from two other armed security men, one using binoculars, to wide of square with large US and Bulgarian flags on building
8. Men in crowd holding US flag and shouting "USA, USA"
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
"I stand here and I see our two flags so close, side by side. They look so beautiful. May we always remain as close as our two flags are today." (applause)
10. Wide of Powell on stage with Parvanov, Prime Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski and Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi standing behind him
11. Powell exchanges flags with Pasi, they hold them up
12. Wide of helicopter flying over the building with flags draped down the sides
13. Powell and Saxcoburggotski at podium
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
"I want to publicly thank the government of Bulgaria and the people of Bulgaria for their courageous stand. As President Bush told the Prime Minister in the Oval Officer recently, we don't forget our friends."
15. Cutaway press
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
"We are at a moment of opportunity. We have a new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Prime Minster Abbas, and this is what we have been working for. This is what we asked the Palestinian people to do and the Palestinian Authority did that and this is the time for both sides to be prepared to make compromises, to step forward, to take steps that will move us down the path to peace. The President of the United States is committed to the road map that we have presented to the parties, a road map that will lead to the vision that President Bush laid out in a speech on 24 June, and I hope that in the upcoming conversations which I have just made reference to, people will be able to clarify their positions and we will find a way to go forward. We can't just stay where we are. We can't miss this moment of opportunity."
17. Cutaway press
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
"It was a source of great support to me at the Security Council, as we debated the various Iraq resolutions, to have Bulgaria on our side as a co-sponsor of resolutions, as well as a strong advocate for taking the necessary steps in the face of such intransigence on the part of the Iraqi regime."
19. Powell and Saxcoburggotski leaving
STORYLINE
US Secretary of State Colin Powell has visited Bulgaria to discuss the possibility of basing US troops in the country.
At a news conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski on Thursday, Powell thanked Bulgaria for supporting the US campaign in Iraq.
Bulgaria signed a letter supporting the US case for military action against Iraq and let US aircraft use its Black Sea air base during the campaign.
Bulgaria, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, said last week it supported a US-sponsored draft resolution to lift economic sanctions against Iraq.
Regarding the so-called road map to peace in the Middle East, Powell stressed the importance of both sides making compromises and President Bush's commitment to the issue.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
