MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fujimori: Chile displeased with Japan's attitude

Chilean president Ricardo Lagos denied Wednesday the existence of any diplomatic conflicts, although he inferred that Japan should have warned Chile about the surprise trip of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori currently in custody in Santiago.

"It's a matter that has to be assessed and addressed according to proper channels. It's much better obviously that when someone who is wanted by the international police travels, and that country happens to know, it should inform about it", said President Lagos when asked if he considered a mistake that Japan did not anticipate Chile about the matter.

However he insisted that both this issue as Japan's insistent interest in Mr. Fujimori's situation are matters to be taken into consideration since "Mr. Fujimori arrived with a Peruvian passport and declared he was a Peruvian national when he filed the migration form on entering Chile".

But President Lagos discarded any diplomatic conflicts with Peru or Japan since the issue is currently a judicial matter.

"There's no reason for diplomatic difficulties when relations are between countries, between governments because Mr. Fujimori's case is in the courts that is the judicial branch, not the Executive branch".

"The case is in the hands of a Supreme Court judge, so we must be respectful of court proceedings".

President Lagos admitted he was informed by Cabinet Chief Osvaldo Puccio of Mr. Fujimori's arrival last Sunday when the former president was heading for a hotel in Santiago.

Chile's Deputy Home Secretary Jorge Correa revealed Wednesday that members of the Chilean Police Special Force who were on duty last Sunday and "committed mistakes" at the foreigners arrivals control desk were removed from their posts and face an administrative inquiry.

"They did not keep to the rules; they did not consult immediately and did not inform their superiors, which meant commanders only were aware of the situation when it was too late".

Former president Fujimori is in custody in the Santiago headquarters of the Chilean Gendarmerie and on Tuesday was denied bail.

Peru which has Mr. Fujimori on the most wanted list on several counts of corruption and human rights abuses during his ten years as president has, according to Chilean law, sixty days to complete the extradition process.

Also on Wednesday three members from the Japanese Embassy in Chile visited Mr. Fujimori who also has Japanese citizenship. Japan has demanded Mr. Fujimori be properly treated and fairly trialed, as with all Japanese citizens.

Japanese diplomats in Chile insist Tokyo authorities were not aware of Mr. Fujimori's plan to fly to Chile and were not informed of his departure.

Mr Fujimori has vowed to run for the Peruvian presidency next April despite being barred from holding public office until 2010. So far he has preferred to conduct his unofficial electoral campaign from Japan, where he has been living in self-imposed exile since fleeing in 2000.

Political analysts believe Fujimori chose Chile carefully when he decided to move closer to Peru ahead of next year's presidential elections because the Chilean judicial system - considered one of the most independent in the region - has rejected extradition requests in the past