MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pinochet US bank accounts: Bush promises “full investigation”.

US President George W. Bush said this Monday that the US Senate will deliver a “full investigation” on the Riggs Bank alleged cover up operations with funds and accounts belonging to former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Even when the issue was not included in the original bilateral agenda during the meeting held in the White House with Chilean president Ricardo Lagos, the two heads of state addressed the sensitive claim involving retired General Pinochet.

"There will be a full investigation. It's important facts come to light", said President Bush during the press conference following the meeting with Mr. Lagos.

"In Chile no one is above the law", remarked President Lagos adding that there are no legal or administrative impediments for the investigation into alleged secret bank accounts of Pinochet in US banks. "Whoever commits a crime will have to face Justice and conviction".

Mr. Lagos underlined that the investigation will not be interrupted for "state reasons", as happened back in 1994, when there was a frustrated inquiry into what was described as "Pinochet checks".

"Chile is a strong and mature democracy, so are our institutions, and we therefore have full confidence in the Judicial branch. The Executive on the other hand has a duty managing the future of the country and not keep looking into the past".

Last week a US Senate report was made public claiming that the Washington based Riggs bank helped to cover up Mr. Pinochet banking operations between 1994 and 2002. Besides in 1998, when the former dictator was retained in Britain the Riggs bank helped transfer funds from London to the US.

Mr. Lagos also announced that US president George W. Bush will be visiting Chile next November 20/21 for the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that will be held in Santiago.

Other topics addressed during the private presidential meeting that was followed by lunch in the White House included world and regional trade relations, particularly the Doha Round in the framework of the World Trade Organization and the US-Chile free trade agreement that became effective last January.

US exports to Chile jumped 24% in the first quarter of this year totaling 766 million US dollars while US imports from Chile increased 12% reaching 1,2 billion US dollars.

"More trade means more jobs in Chile and more jobs in the US", said President Lagos after the meeting.

President Lagos is scheduled to meet with IMF Director General Rodrigo Rato, Interamerican Development Bank Enrique Iglesias and World Bank officials in Washington before flying to New York where he is scheduled to talk with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and participate in international security and UN reforms discussions.

From New York Mr. Lagos flies to Jamaica and then Haiti, where he will be visiting Chilean troops in peace keeping operations under United Nations command.