France's first lady defends Libya HIV medics role

PARIS, Sep 4 (Reuters) Cecilia Sarkozy, wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has rejected calls to appear before a parliamentary commission to explain her role in securing the release of six foreign medics from a Libyan jail.

In her first major interview on the affair, Cecilia Sarkozy told the L'Est Republican regional newspaper she had offered only medical aid in exchange for the freedom of six Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor in July.

The medics' release cleared the way for an official visit to Libya by President Sarkozy which resulted in an outline agreement on defence cooperation and a memorandum of understanding for a nuclear energy deal.

French Socialists demanded a parliamentary inquiry into whether a proposed deal by EADS to supply Tripoli with anti-tank missiles and radio equipment was linked to the medics' release, and said Cecilia Sarkozy should testify about her unorthodox diplomatic role before deputies.

France's first lady, who twice visited Libya as her husband's envoy, dismissed the controversy over her role and told L'Est Republican she was shocked by the way some media had sought to exploit her visit and the suffering of others.

''(The parliamentary probe) has not been set up yet but as has been explained, I don't think that is my place,'' Cecilia Sarkozy said.

''The only subject I raised with Libyan leaders was the human tragedy,'' she said of the medics who spent eight years in jail after being convicted of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV.

Presidential chief of staff Claude Gueant twice accompanied her to Libya for talks, including with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and has indicated he is willing to meet deputies.

Cecilia Sarkozy said she had offered training for Libyan doctors treating HIV-infected children at Benghazi Hospital, equipment, anti-AIDS drugs and fast-track visas so urgent cases could be treated in France.

''Colonel Gaddafi had in front of him a woman devoting herself exclusively to the children at Benghazi hospital, which I visited, to the families of the victims, whom I met, to the imprisoned nurses and doctor,'' she said.

She went to Libya to save lives and had not focused too much on the complexities of international diplomacy, she said, adding: ''I won't be prevented from trying to help or to relieve misery in the world, wherever it may be.'' REUTERS PD BST1509