Libya's relations with EU member countries depended on the manner the country handled the trial of the five Bulgarian nurses facing a death sentence for deliberate HIV infection, EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council said.

Council members met on February 12 and discussed developments in the trial and the EU involvement, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported.

Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said that representatives of some EU member countries asked the European Commission to elaborate the steps it had undertaken to guarantee a changed outcome of the trial.

EU supported fully Bulgaria in its attempts to free the nurses, Kalfin said.

European commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero- Waldner said that talks between Libya and the EU will resume soon.