VESELIN TOSHKOV SOFIA Tears and jubilation greeted six medics freed by Libya yesterday after nearly a decade languishing in jail over accusations that they deliberately infected children with HIV, ending a nightmare that drove at least one to attempt suicide.

Behind the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were secret negotiations with the French president's wife as a key player.

However, questions remain about what concessions were made to Muammar Gaddafi's regime. A charity created to compensate the infected children and their families said its funds had jumped 100-fold to £200m thanks to the EU.

Libya had accused the six of deliberately infecting more than 400 Libyan children with HIV; 50 children died. The medics, jailed since 1999 with most of those years passed under a death sentence, deny this and say their confessions were extracted under torture.

The six were whisked from Tripoli to Sofia on France's presidential jet yesterday, their release won during a three-day trip to Libya by Cecilia Sarkozy, wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissioner for foreign affairs.

The medics were hugged by family members, one lifting the Palestinian doctor, Ashraf al Hazouz, off the ground. Bulgaria gave him citizenship last month. The six received an immediate presidential pardon.

"I waited so long for this moment," nurse Snezhana Dimitrova said before falling in the arms of her loved ones.

Cecilia Sarkozy said she had "not slept for 45 hours".

Her husband said neither his country nor the EU paid for the release. However, within hours, the EU, which Bulgaria joined in January, was offering Libya improved economic and political ties potentially worth billions.

Sarkozy, who came to power in May, had pledged to help the medics in his election campaign.

In Tripoli, officials said European countries had promised millions to a fund to compensate families of the children.

"There was only £2m in the fund but after negotiations with Ferrero-Waldner, the amount became £200m, extended by the EU," said Saleh Abdul Salam, director of the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations, headed by Gaddafi's son, Seif al Islam.

Foreign Minister Abdul-Rahman Shalqam said Libya and the EU agreed to a "full partnership", with Europe promising aid to develop hospitals and other infrastructure. The EU also promised to provide lifelong treatment for the infected children and aid to improve the hospital where they were infected.

Libya's decision to allow the six to return to Bulgaria - nominally to serve the rest of their life sentences - came after months of pressure from the US and the EU.

The medics said they had endured torture and rape before making their confessions. Their death sentence was commuted to life in prison only a week ago.

Nasya Nenova, 41, a nurse, said she tried to commit suicide for fear of further torture.

Kristiana Valcheva said she was "beaten and submitted to every kind of torture known since the Middle Ages".

The medics will spend the next few days with their relatives at a government residence away from the media.-AP