By Martin Banks - 17th July 2007
European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has given a guarded welcome to news that the jailed foreign medics in Libya will escape execution.
This follows a ruling on Tuesday by the high judiciary council to commute the death sentence on five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor.
The six have been accused of infecting more than 400 children with the HIV virus.
The prisoners, however, still face life imprisonment although Bulgaria is expected to formally request their extradition.
Responding to the news, Barroso said the commission was “relieved” the threat of execution had now been lifted.
"However, our objective is a solution which allows for the departure of the medical personnel from Libya and their transfer to the EU as soon as possible," he said.
"We will now study the ruling and its implications with the Libyan authorities and others involved."
"We do hope that this tragic and long-running case can be brought to a speedy solution."
Libya has been under international pressure to free the six, who deny infecting the children.
The case has become a sticking point in Colonel Gadafy’s attempts to improve ties with the EU.
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