Europe Sends Best Regards To MaskhadovAfter a short respite following the declaration of war on terrorism
in the wake of the September 11 th attacks on the U.S., Western
countries, including the United States are again criticising Moscow's
tactics in the breakaway region of Chechnya. In its latest resolution
on Chechnya, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
reprimands Russia over human rights abuses and indiscriminate use of
military force in the region and urges Moscow to increase efforts to
find a political solution to the Chechen conflict.
On Wednesday this week a `foreign minister' of the self-proclaimed
independent Chechen state Ilyas Akhmadov was given a friendly welcome
by the US State Department. Earlier in the week another
representative of Aslan Maskhadov, the Chechen president unrecognised
by the Kremlin, met with British Foreign Office officials in London.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Wednesday
debated the Chechen issue and on Thursday passed a resolution
criticising Russia over human rights abuses and indiscriminate use of
military force in the region. The PACE resolution calls on Moscow to
increase political efforts to end the conflict. The general situation
in Chechnya "has not improved enough to ensure human rights and the
rule of law…" the resolution reads.
On Thursday the newly elected president of PACE Peter Scheider met
with Maskahdov's representative Akmed Zakayev. Moreover, he
officially asked the Chechen emissary to send "best regards to your
president Maskhadov".
Zakayev was invited to sign the PACE honorary guest book, a move that
infuriated the Russian delegation. The leader of the Russian
delegation in PACE and the head of the State Duma committee for
international affaires Dmitry Rogozin, indignantly remarked that if
Zakayev was invited to sign the PACE guest book, then a space should
be left for Osama bin Laden's signature. Throughout the session
Dmitry Rogozin continuously compared the unrecognised Chechen
president with the Saudi terrorist.
Angered by the warm welcome extended to the Chechen at PACE, some of
the Russia delegates called for Russia to terminate contacts with the
European Parliament. State Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky said that at
the next PACE session the Russian delegation would demand the Council
of Europe to stop human rights monitoring in Chechnya and to leave
the republic. Slutsky claimed that Russia has fulfilled its
international obligations and there is no longer any need for CE
observers.
Zakayev's meeting with Peter Schieder on Thursday lasted some 20
minutes. Later Zakayev told the press that he had congratulated the
new PACE chief on his election to the post and described the meeting
as "successful." Reportedly Mr.Schieder assured him that the Assembly
would apply all efforts to put an end to the hostilities in Chechnya
and would assist in finding a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
On Thursday afternoon Zakayev held a news conference whereat he
resolutely denied the speculation about the Chechen rebels' alleged
ties with al-Qaeda, which have been circulating in foreign press
lately. "Only a few days ago we met with our friends in America, and
they didn't reproach us about anything. No compromising documents
were adduced," said Akhmed Zakayev.
Speaking of "us" meeting with US friends, Akhmed Zakayev was
referring to Ilyas Akhmadov, who visited Washington earlier this week
and met with representatives of the State Department on Wednesday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reacted angrily, saying that Russia had
been surprised by the U.S. move: "Such contacts, no matter what the
justification, cannot be seen as anything other than an unfriendly
step toward Russia, contradicting the spirit of cooperation and
partnership of both countries in acting against international
terrorism," the ministry said in a statement.
At his news conference in Strasbourg Akhmed Zakayev urged Moscow to
stop military operations in Chechnya and to sit down with the Chechen
officials at the negotiations table to work out a permanent cease-
fire agreement. "There are no insoluble issues between Chechnya and
Russia," the Chechen emissary said.
However, commenting on his November meeting with Kremlin
representative, Russian presidential envoy Viktor Kazantsev, at
Moscow's Sheremetyevo II airport, he said that it was "in vain and
failed to live up to expectations". "It was merely a propaganda
move," said Maskhadov's representative.
But Zakayev's meetings in Strasbourg clearly gave him new hope. The
PACE leadership reportedly assured Zakayev that "as long as the
Chechen problem is not settled, the issue will remain on agenda of
the Assembly's future sessions", Zakayev said.
Zakayev's planned meeting with the chief of the Russian delegation in
PACE, Dmitry Rogozin, did not take place. According to the Chechen
emissary after "the useful talks with PACE leadership, such contacts
were no longer relevant".
But Zakayev met with another Russian representative, the devoted
human rights activist Sergei Kovalyov, known for his harsh criticism
of Moscow's policies in Chechnya. The Chechen thanked the deputy for
his human rights activities. |
