THE HAGUE, 26/01/01 - The Public Prosecutors' Office (OM) in Amsterdam is to deal with the charges placed against Jorge Zorreguieta by former UNESCO ambassador M. Mourik. The father of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander's girlfriend Maxima was State Secretary and later Minister of Agriculture during the military regime in Argentina.

Two weeks ago, Mourik placed charges against the Argentine government at the time of the military regime, in the late seventies and early eighties. Mourik wants those in power at that time to be prosecuted for crimes against humanity and the use of torture.

According to a spokesman, the OM in Amsterdam is usually concerned with charges against persons without known addresses in the Netherlands. The same procedure was used after charges were placed against former army leader Desi Bouterse by two family members of victims of the December murders in Suriname.