USA: PERUVIAN PRESIDENT FUJIMORI VISIT (2)

Описание: (28 Sep 2000) Spanish/Eng/Nat

Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori is in Washington D-C Thursday for talks with officials at the Organization of American States (O-A-S).

He's making the urgent trip amid rumors of a military coup back home.

U-S officials say they support efforts by the O-A-S to help broker a peaceful transition of power in Peru.

They also say they believe military officials in Peru will stand by an earlier pledge to support democratic rule.

Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's plane touched down at Andrews Air Force base near Washington D-C in the early afternoon on Thursday.

He had departed Lima at two-a-m local time, bound for the U-S and urgent meetings with officials at the Organization of American States (O-A-S).

And he did so amid rumors that a coup was in the making.

Just hours before leaving Peru, an opposition lawmaker in Peru was accusing the army high command of pressing for a coup within 20 days.

U-S State Department officials in Washington could offer few details on the substance of Fujimori's sudden visit.

A spokesman there restated the U-S view of support for O-A-S efforts to ease the political turmoil in Peru.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We have very much supported the O-A-S process in terms of Peru. And what we'd like to see is a transition through peaceful, democratic processes. The transition in power and O-A-S dialogue is very much a part of that as you know."
SUPER CAPTION: Philip Reeker, U-S State Department spokesman

And Reeker said the Clinton administration was still prepared to stand by earlier statements by Peru's military regarding rumors of a coup.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well I think the statement reaffirms what they've said before in terms of their previously voiced stand that the military is very much for maintaining constitutional order, and that's very much what we expect them to do."
SUPER CAPTION: Philip Reeker, U-S State Department spokesman

Fujimori arrived at the O-A-S late on Thursday afternoon for a meeting with Secretary General Cesar Gaviria.

The O-A-S has assumed a central role in attempting to forge a consensus among Peru's political groups on how to restore political stability in the South American nation.

Fujimori was inaugurated for a third term just two months ago, but political developments since then have weakened him to the point where he plans to arrange for new elections next year, four years ahead of schedule.

He has said he will not be a candidate.

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