Argentine court backs airport privatisation

The Supreme Court in Argentina has backed a decision by President Carlos Menem to privatise the country's airports by decree.

The court rejected opposition arguments that public services in Argentina can be privatised only with the approval of Congress.

The ruling was supported by the five judges who were appointed by President Menem; four independent judges voted against the decision.

The opposition says it is now considering whether to try to impeach some of the judges.

Legal arguments have been delaying the government's privatisation programme, which President Menem launched in January.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service