One day after the release of the six Bulgarian medics sentenced to death for allegedly infecting more than 400 Libyan children with AIDS, the French President Sarkozy will meet with Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.

Sarkozy’s wife, Cecilia Sarkozy, has helped negotiate the liberation of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor.

According to media and analysts Sarkozy will discuss with Gaddafi the trade opportunities between the two countries.

"Obviously I hope that we will sign co-operation accords with Libya," Sarkozy told a press conference hours after the medics' release. "I do not see why France would be the only country not to sign this kind of accord."

Sarkozy hopes to land big contracts for the French nuclear energy company Areva and the petroleum giant Total.

Although the media is speculating that EU and France have paid Libya to release the six medics, President Sarkozy strongly denied the rumors.

"I can quite simply confirm to you that neither Europe nor France have made the slightest financial contribution to Libya," he said yesterday at a news conference in Paris.

Meanwhile, the families of the children infected with the AIDS virus in a Libyan hospital have initiated a protest against the decision of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov to pardon the six medics.

The six were convicted in Libya of deliberately infecting children with HIV and they spent eight years in Libyan custody, although they always maintained their innocence.

According to experts the AIDS outbreak at the Benghazi children's hospital had been caused by bad hygiene.

The association of the families has issued a statement faxed to the Associated Press, demanding the medic be re-arrested by Interpol.

"We deeply condemn and are deeply disappointed at the absurdity and disrespect shown by the Bulgarian presidential pardon," the statement reads.