French president Jacques Chirac said that he was following the trial of the Bulgarian nurses accused of intentional HIV infection in Libya closely.

Five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian medic are accused of the intentional HIV infection of more than 400 children in Libya's Benghazi.

Chirac discussed the case with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Purvanov during the 11th Summit of the Francophone Movement in Bucharest, Romania, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported.

Both presidents said that they hoped the trial would be concluded very soon.

During the meeting Chirac also assured Purvanov that the French senate would ratify Bulgaria's EU accession treaty, BTA said.

Bulgaria and France's presidents also discussed opportunities for improving the economic relations between the two countries, BTA said.