PRESIDENT Georgi Purvanov and Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin used their visits to the United States in the past week for a hectic series of bilateral meetings, including on issues related to European Union accession.

Purvanov and Kalfin were in the US for the marking of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations.

Speaking after talks with Kalfin, Portuguese foreign minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral said: "What remains for Bulgaria on the way to (European Union) integration are only formalities. I do not expect any difficulties in the final stage.

"All the countries involved have signed the treaty for your country's accession, and given that their governments have majorities in their parliaments, I think the process of ratification should also be completed without any problems."

Do Amaral said that he had a strong emotional link with Bulgaria, because of the parallel historical processes that took place in the two countries. Both had passed through long periods of dictatorship, and for both, EU accession was a symbol of closing the chapter of the past.

At a meeting with Purvanov, European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso urged Bulgaria to step up the practical implementation of reforms.

"The EC wants Bulgaria to join the EU, but cannot say precisely when," Barroso said. "The commission will make a fair assessment of what the country has accomplished, and what else it has to cope with, before becoming a full member of the EU."

Kalfin's agenda in New York included a meeting between the foreign ministers of the three states that held the EU Presidency and the OSCE Chairmanship in the past, the present and the coming year. His agenda also included attending a meeting of the foreign ministers of EU countries with US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

Kalfin attended a luncheon given by Rice to the foreign ministers of NATO member states.

He and the delegation accompanying him met the leadership of the American Jewish Committee. The committee congratulated Kalfin on his appointment and expressed full support for Bulgaria's foreign policy priorities.

Kalfin met Maltese foreign minister Michael Frendo. They discussed co-operation between Bulgaria and Malta within the context of the EU.

Purvanov had meetings with US president George Bush, other US state officials, as well EU officials and state dignitaries.

Purvanov had informal talks with presidents Tarja Halonen of Finland and Jorge Sampaio of Portugal, and with Netherlands prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende, to discuss the expected ratifications of Bulgaria's EU accession treaty.

During his visit to New York, Purvanov joined other leaders in signing the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, sealing Bulgaria's commitment to the fight against one of the most dangerous forms of international terrorism.

Purvanov had an informal meeting with Libyan foreign minister Abdel Rahman Shalgam. They discussed co-operation between non-government organisations in their countries to support the treatment of HIV-positive Libyan children, as well other aspects of bilateral relations.

After the meeting, Shalgam said that the problem of HIV-infected Libyan children had two aspects. These were, the legal aspect - the trial of the Bulgarian medics - and a humanitarian aspect.

"The court in Libya is independent and the government cannot interfere in its work," Shalgam said. "There is great suffering in Libya."
Shalgam was referring to the case of the Bulgarian medics facing the death penalty after being found guilty by a Libyan court of deliberately infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. Libya has asked Bulgaria to pay compensation as a trade-off against the medics' appeal against their conviction being successful.

Shalgam called on Bulgarian non-government organisations to establish contact with the families of the infected children and find a way to help them.

"Libya has nothing to gain from the conviction of the Bulgarian nurses. Libya has nothing against Bulgarian medical workers," he said. "Hundreds of Bulgarians are continuing to work in Libya, and new Bulgarian medical workers are arriving. Libya is continuing to invite them."

Kalfin said that he and his Libyan colleague had discussed bilateral relations but that most of the meeting was devoted to discussing the case of the medics.