World Bank President-elect Paul Wolfowitz has offered Washington's assistance in bringing the trial of the Bulgarian medics in Libya to a successful outcome.

The U.S. deputy defence secretary has inquired whether Bulgaria considers a compromise in the case during his meeting with Bulgaria's Finance Minister Milen Velchev.

The two officials conferred in Washington in the framework of the regular meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank governors.

The meeting was an exception in the schedule of Wolfowitz as he will officially enter office in June.

Wolfowitz also thanked Bulgaria for the support for his election on this position.

Meanwhile it emerged that Bulgaria's Economy Minister Milko Kovachev would pay a two-day visit to Libya this week in a bid to put an end to reports about an imminent trade embargo.

Officials from the ministry specified that the visit will aim to boost economic ties with Libya.

In May 2004, Libya found the five Bulgarian health workers and a Palestinian doctor guilty of having caused the death of 40 children and of infecting almost 400 others with HIV at a Benghazi hospital.

The nurses were sentenced to death by a firing squad, sparkling cries of foul from Bulgaria and its allies the United States and the European Union.

The medics' confessions, which were extracted with torture, are the only evidence proving their guilt.