Chilean president criticises action against Pinochet

The president of Chile, Eduardo Frei, has criticised attempts by members of his own party to bring a constitutional action against the former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet, to try to ban him from taking a seat in the Senate.

The move would have little chance of success because of the existing composition of the senate, where the rightwing has a majority.

President Frei said, however, that he was open to the idea of holding a plebicite to try to reduce the influence of General Pinochet and his supporters.

The eighty-two year old general is due to take up a seat-for-life in the Senate when he retires soon as Chile's army commander.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service