Peru's New President Promises Fair Trial for Fujimori

Peru's new President Alejandro Toledo on Monday promised a fair and internationally-supervised trial for self-exiled former president Alberto Fujimori, if he returns to the country.

"Fujimori will have all the guarantees that he will have a fair, clean and transparent trial," said Toledo.

"And if we need to bring international observers to ensure that, we will do it," the president said.

Last Thursday, a Peruvian judge issued an international arrest warrant for Fujimori, currently in exile in Japan, his parents' homeland, for failing to appear in a Peruvian court to respond to criminal charges of abandoning his post.

Since then, Peruvian official have been pressing Japan to extradite the former president.

But a Japanese foreign ministry official reaffirmed Tokyo's position that it recognized Fujimori as a Japanese citizen, and that it did not extradite its nationals nor did it have an extradition pact with Peru.

Fujimori, 62, has been living in Japan since November, when he resigned the presidency via fax from Tokyo.

The Peruvian Congress rejected his resignation and sacked him for "dereliction of duty."








People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/