On June 11 Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin met US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte, who is accompanying US president George W. Bush during his visit to Bulgaria.

Negroponte said that the US was committed to finding fast resolution of the trial of the five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death in Libya.

The US confirmed its willingness to work with the international fund that will collect funds for the treatment of the children infected with HIV in Libya, Kalfin told a press conference after the meeting.

Compensation for the families of the infected children does not necessarily have to be expressed in terms of funds, Kalfin said. The international community could take care of the treatment of the children and aid Libya in its attempts to fight AIDS.

Kalfin also brought up the issue of the US anti-missile shield that is to be set up in Europe.

Bulgaria was worried that part of the NATO territory was not included in the shield’s area, Kalfin said. The country would like the alliance to show the same attitude towards all of its members in terms of security, Kalfin said.

Negroponte and Kalfin also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq and international efforts to stabilise the two countries. The status of Kosovo also featured among the topics of discussion.