A key vote in the Chilean parliament to decide whether to prosecute the country's former military leader, General Augusto Pinochet, was abandoned after a walk-out.

The lower house was due to debate the past conduct of General Pinochet, who is accused of responsibility for human rights abuses. But voting was cancelled after political parties sympathetic to the General's views abandoned the parliament building in the coastal town of Valparaiso.

The walk-out meant it was not possible to attain the necessary quorum across the political spectrum. Chilean law dictates that both left and right-wing parties must participate in every vote.

This latest development follows the General's decision to stay on as head of the army, a job he had previously said he would give up at the end of this month.

The BBC's South America correspondent says it is now likely the General will stay on until sometime in March. The correspondent says a judgement on any prosecution is unlikely to take place until then at least.

There were violent scuffles on the steps of the Congress building before the debate was due to begin.

Supporters of the governing Christian Democratic Party unveiled huge banners inscribed with the words "goodbye Pinochet, you will be judged."

The General has been angered by accusations that he has continued to interfere in the running of the country since stepping down from power eight years ago.

He also faces a separate legal action, backed by the Communist Party. The party claims he is ultimately responsible for the deaths of at least 3,000 people who were killed after he seized power in the 1970s. It is also the prime mover behind attempts to prevent the General from becoming a Senator for life after he retires.
 

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