UK: MARGARET THATCHER'S REACTION TO PINOCHET'S RELEASE скачать в хорошем качестве

UK: MARGARET THATCHER'S REACTION TO PINOCHET'S RELEASE

(2 Mar 2000) English/Nat The former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has welcomed the British government's decision to release General Augusto Pinochet. The General is flying back home to Chile after spending 16 months under house arrest in Britain, while a decision was made over whether to extradite him to Spain to face human rights charges. Baroness Thatcher described the long legal wrangle over General Pinochet's extradition as a waste of public money. Reading a short statement outside her London office on Thursday Lady Thatcher said General Pinochet's detention in Britain had been a waste of public money. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Senator Pinochet was a staunch friend of Britain throughout the Falklands war. His reward from this Government was to be held prisoner for 16 months. In the meantime his health has been broken, the reputation of our courts has been tarnished and vast sums of public money have been squandered for a political vendetta. So, friends of Britain be warned - the same thing could happen to you." SUPER CAPTION: Lady Thatcher A medical examination in January by four independent doctors found the former dictator had suffered brain damage and would not be able to fully participate in his defence. The British Home Office Minister Jack Straw said it was this evidence that persuaded him to free General Pinochet. SOUNDBITE: (English) "You are not guilty unless you are found guilty by a court of law. The place for those things to be tried is in Chile." SUPER CAPTION: Lady Thatcher Spain and Belgium, which were seeking Pinochet's extradition, have said they won't appeal the British Home Office Minister's decision to free General Pinochet. Lady Thatcher stressed that, technically General Pinochet remained innocent. SOUNDBITE: (English) "You are not guilty until found guilty in a court of law on the evidence assembled, that's a fundamental principle of British Justice." SUPER CAPTION: Lady Thatcher The other two countries that sought to block Pinochet's release, France and Switzerland, haven't said whether they'll appeal, although Switzerland has said an appeal would have little chance of success. Lady Thatcher said she hadn't seen or spoken to Pinochet in recent days and had only met him once for tea while he was in England. An official Chilean report says 3,197 people died or disappeared during Pinochet's 17-year regime, which began in 1973. 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...