Bulgarian PM Discusses Libyan AIDS Trial with Egypt's President

Published September 26th, 2000 - 03:00 GMT

Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov and President Hosni Mubarak held talks in Cairo Tuesday on the trial in Libya of six Bulgarians accused of deliberately infecting nearly 400 children with AIDS.

"I raised this case with President Mubarak," Kostov told reporters after meeting Mubarak. "I explained the Bulgarian point of view on this matter, and he showed that he understood."

The six Bulgarians, five nurses and a doctor, as well as a Palestinian doctor, are accused of "triggering an AIDS epidemic by injecting contaminated products" and of premeditated murder designed "to sap Libya's strength."

Twenty-three of the 393 stricken children have already died.

Eight Libyans have been accused of "negligence" in the same case, and the trial is set to resume October 7.

Bulgaria has been lobbying Egypt to support endeavors to ensure a fair and objective trial.

Kostov arrived in Cairo Monday night for the first visit by a Bulgarian head of government to an Arab country since the collapse of communism in 1989. He is scheduled to spend two days in Egypt - CAIRO (AFP)