31/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - Saif al Islam, son of Libyan leader Mouammar Gaddafi, who played a key role in negotiations leading to the release of the Bulgarian nurses and Palestinian-born doctor, states that the outcome of the affair has opened a road to normalised relations between his country and the European Union. “I believe that with the European Union we have eliminated the last obstacle for completely normalised relations”, he told Reuters. “It will soon be easier for Libyans to travel to the European Union and vice versa. This could play a major role in trade development”, he added. When asked about the decision by the Bulgarian president to pardon the six persons accused of having inoculated Libyan children with the AIDS virus, Said al Islam said he had been expecting such a decision for some time. “From the beginning, it was obvious that the Bulgarian authorities would pardon the six accused”, he said. According to Reuters, the son of Colonel Gaddafi also acknowledged that Libya “built up a case by forcing the accused to confess”. (hb)