CHISINAU, November 8 - Former Moldovan defense minister Valery Pasat, who is standing trial on charges of illegal sales of weapons, said all such transactions had been sanctioned and ordered by the republic`s top leadership. "The six volumes of the criminal case contain numerous notes on preparing the transactions, which Pasat sent to the president, the parliament speaker and the prime minister," Pasat`s lawyer Gheorghe Amihalachioae said. Pasat is accused of abusing his powers when handling sales of Moldovan army equipment when he occupied the post of defense minister. "All these notes begin with the phrase "per your instruction...", which indicates that Pasat has not made a single move on his own. All his actions received approved by Moldova’s top officials, the lawyer said. On Monday, Pasat gave testimony regarding the episode that carries the first charge against him: the sale of 21 MiG-29 to the United States in 1997. Amihalachioae said the next hearing will take place on November 11. The verdict may be handed down before mid-November, he said. "I`m hoping for acquittal, because all the 20 witnesses -- both for the defense and the prosecution -- confirmed Pasat`s innocence," he said. The lawyer did not rule out though, that Moldova`s unpredictable justice might make other decision. "If it doesn`t suit us, we`ll appeal at the European court of human rights," he said. Moldovan authorities accuse Pasat of illegal sale of MiG-29 aircraft to the United States in 1997, in a deal that allegedly lost the republic 55.7 million dollars. In October, the Moldovan Prosecutor General`s Office charged him with another illegal transaction: the sale of underpriced Uragan salvo systems and dedicated ammunition to the Joy Slovakia firm. Pasat, if found guilty, may face up to 12 years in prison. Pasat claims the case against him is political revenge by Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin for his cooperation with the opposition during the parliamentary election in March. The president denies political motivation behind the case. Pasat was arrested as Moldova launched uncompromising fight against corruption, according to Voronin. Pasat, 46, occupied different posts in the Moldovan government since the middle of the 1990s. He was ambassador to Russia (1994-1997), defence minister (1997-1999), national security minister (1999-2000), and the director of the Information and Security Service (2000-2002). He was dismissed from his last job in 2002 by the new president, Vladimir Voronin. In February 2004, Chubais appointed Pasat his external relations adviser.