MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“I'll be back” promises Menem.

“You can be certain I'll be back in 2003 as president of Argentina”, forecasted former president Carlos Menem to British Channel 4.

In an interview with Chris Smith, Channel 4's Washington correspondent, Mr. Menem under house arrest in Don Torcuato, insisted he will return to power, and rejected point blank there was any wrongdoing involved in the alleged illegal sale of weapons to Panama and Venezuela.

"No crime was committed, there's no illicit association, there's nothing to accuse me with", Mr. Menem told Chris Smith adding "it's all highly political, and in these circumstances, the rule of the law vanishes".

However the seven minutes Menem special, which coincided with the extensive press coverage of Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Argentina, concentrates in the former president's legal problems. "I feel great, I'm stronger than ever, and unless they kill me I'll keep growing (politically) " remarks a smiling and distended Mr. Menem from a beige sofa in the living room of the mansion where he's been under arrest for the few last weeks.

The Menem documentary includes interviews with former aides Foreign Affairs Minister, Guido Di Tella, Defence Minister Oscar Camillón, also involved in the illegal weapons case, together with former Army Chief General Martin Balza.

Mr. Franco Caviglia, a member of Congress from the ruling coalition on the other hand forecasts that "if Justice works, Menem will end in jail because he masterminded the plot and has the primary and main responsibility in the case".

Chris Smith describes Mr. Menem as "the most powerful argentine president since Juan Perón", recalling that the former president restored relations with Britain, had an excellent rapport with the United States and turned the country into a reliable, committed member of the international community.