ISRAEL: COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER VISIT скачать в хорошем качестве

ISRAEL: COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER VISIT

(7 May 1997) English/Nat Colombian President Ernesto Samper on Wednesday denied allegations linking him to the assassination of the country's main opposition leader Alvaro Gomez Hurtado. It follows calls by Colombian opposition members for a fresh investigation into Gomez Hurtado's death after new evidence was discovered, allegedly linking Samper to the killing. Samper was speaking during a two-day visit to Israel - where he met with President Ezer Weizman and premier Benjamin Netanyahu. He's also due to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Wednesday in Gaza. On the second day of his trip Ernesto Samper met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues including military cooperation. Samper was accompanied by the Colombian foreign minister, several members of parliament and about 90 other delegates on his trip to the region. But behind the smiles and the handshakes Samper's trip was being overshadowed by fresh political scandals back home. Samper is at the centre of renewed allegations linking him to the assassination of Colombia's main opposition leader Alvaro Gomez Hurtado in 1995. The scandal once again threatens to undermine Samper's government. Samper said the accusations were part of a dirty tricks campaign waged by his political opponents. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I'm indignant of that. It's a monstrosity, ridiculous. The attorney general said this is a dirty instrument used by an opposition member of the congress and of course, I deny the charges and my government feels it should". SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Samper - Colombian President Samper also adamantly denied that any members of his armed forces were involved in the killing of Gomez Hurtado - with or without his knowledge. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I'm the chief commander of the armed forces in Colombia. Do you feel that they can work with the policemen that I appoint and with the general that I appoint as the chief commander without my permission, without me knowing nothing?" SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Samper - Colombian President Samper not only faces political scandals but is also dogged by a guerrilla hostage crisis. Colombian guerrillas are holding dozens of soldiers captured over four months ago during an attack in the jungle region of the south. But Samper says any parallels with the recent Peru hostage crisis end there. He said any operation to save the soldiers could risk lives. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I don't want an operation of blood and lives. I want to risk with the soldiers without paying any human costs that's my main concern. Of course, I think that each situation is totally different, you cannot compare the situation with the hostages in Peru with the soldiers in Colombia because we have 70 soldiers all around the forest in the south of the country, we don't know where they are". SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Samper - Colombian President Later Wednesday, Samper meets with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He leaves on Thursday for a brief visit to Egypt, and then on to Morocco and Algeria. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...