Libya's foreign minister Abdel Rahman Shalgam said that the confirmed death sentences of the five Bulgarian nurses accused of intentional HIV infection were not peremptory.

Shalgam said that Libya's Supreme Court would have the final say in the trial.

On December 19 the court in Tripoli confirmed the previously issued death sentences on charges of mass, intentional HIV infection. The lawyers of the Bulgarians can appeal the verdict one final time before Libya's Supreme Court.

If the Supreme court reconfirms the death sentences, Libya's Supreme judicial Council will take the final decision of the Bulgarians' fate.

Shalgam said that the Bulgarians would receive just sentences.  Libya had no interest in leaving six innocent people in prison, he said. Shalgham refrained from giving a time period for completion of court procedures, Darik Radio reported.

Libyan authorities respected the judicial system and could not give orders to judges, Shalgam said.

He said that the trial and the provision of humanitarian aid for the infected children were two separate things.