MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Menem's solicitor to help with Fujimori's case

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, under arrest in Chile will be represented at his extradition trial by the Chilean attorney who successfully defended ex-President Carlos Menem in similar proceedings

Gabriel Zaliaznik will be assisted by another Chilean lawyer, Francisco Veloso, announced Saturday Fujimori's Peruvian counsel, Cesar Nakasaki.

Both solicitors visited the former president who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, at Santiago's Gendarmerie School where he remains in custody since unexpectedly arriving in a private direct flight from Japan last November 7.

In 2004, Zaliaznik successfully represented Menem, who was living in Chile, and faced an extradition request from Argentina to face alleged financial crimes.

Chilean Supreme Court denied Argentina's extradition requests on the grounds that they did not meet legal requirements.

Fujimori, who has twice been denied release on bond and was arrested almost immediately after his surprise arrival in Chile from Japan, has had regular visits from his children.

The Peruvian government and Chilean attorney Alfredo Etcheberry are working to make sure Peru's extradition requests conform to the terms of the Chile/Peru 1932 extradition treaty and Chilean jurisprudence law. Peru's Prosecutor for corruption claims Carlos Maldonado is currently in Chile.

Meanwhile in South Korea in the framework of the APEC meeting Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agreed that the Fujimori issue should not interfere with bilateral relations.

Last week the Peruvian government recalled its ambassador in Tokyo to protest what it considered Japanese interference with the Fujimori case after Japanese diplomats visited the former president to check on his health and custody conditions.

Fujimori who has Japanese citizenship had been living in Japan since 2000 when he fled from Peru, and Tokyo never acknowledged Lima's requests to extradite Mr. Fujimori who faces 22 charges of human rights abuse and corruption.