Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - Februari 2004

• 2004-03-02
• Europa in de wereld

2 februari 2004

- Five of Kadyrov’s security officers killed in Maskhadov’s native village: Yesterday five security officers of Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov were killed in the native village of rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov. $200,000 was offered for information on the whereabouts of the rebels involved in the crime (Kommersant, Interfax, Gazeta).

4 februari 2004

- Danish journalist denied Russian visa: The Moscow Times has published a front-page article reporting that Vibeke Sperling, a veteran Danish reporter who wrote critical articles on the war in Chechnya, was denied a Russian visa. According to the daily, Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen criticised the decision, saying it was worrying (The Moscow Times).

5 februari 2004

- Italian FM points to positive changes in Chechnya: According to Interfax, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini pointed out positive instances indicating that the stabilisation process in underway in Chechnya. The Moscow Times quotes Frattini as noting “the existence of a desire, an inclination for transparency in all that is happening in Chechnya, especially attention to human rights”. According to RIA Novosti, the Italian Minister also welcomed Russia’s readiness to open a mission of the EU in the North Caucasus (Interfax, RIA Novosti, The Moscow Times).

- Rogozin expects aggravation of Russian-EU relations over Chechnya: According to Interfax, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Dmitry Rogozin expects “reanimation” of the Chechen issue in EU-Russia relations, as “some politicians in Europe are looking for topics that could blot out Russia’s statements about the economic problems the EU enlargement may create for Russia” (Interfax, Nezavisimaya gazeta).

- Deputy FM warns about spread of Chechen terrorism in Europe: Interfax reports that Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoly Safonov has called on Western Europe not to close eyes to the problem of the spread of Chechen terrorism in Europe. “The Chechen connection is now observed more and more clearly in many countries of Western Europe”, he said (Interfax).

- Losses of the military in Chechnya decreasing: Interfax reports that in 2003 the Russian Defence Ministry lost 263 servicemen in Chechnya. According to a high-ranking official of the Ministry, quoted by Interfax, the losses are decreasing – in 2002, 463 servicemen died in Chechnya (Interfax).

- Nezavisimaya gazeta contains an article by Evgeny Verlin and Andrey Terekhov entitled “European deputies suggest that the EU should support the plan of Aslan Maskhadov”. According to the article, 145 members of the European Parliament have signed an appeal voicing support for the plan of Chechen settlement proposed by Aslan Maskhadov.

6 februari 2004

- Duma member critical of EP’s Chechnya initiative: Konstantin Kosachyov, Chairman of State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, expressed surprise over that fact that 145 members of the European Parliament have put forward an initiative to temporarily impose a UN administration in Chechnya. “This initiative is absolutely marginal and void in terms of international law”, he stressed (Interfax, The Moscow Times, Novye izvestia).

- Novye izvestia reports on the support by 145 EP members to the “Maskhadov plan” on Chechen settlement, which envisages the introduction of a UN administration in Chechnya. The daily quotes Oleg Orlov, Chairman of the “Memorial” NGO, as saying that for a sensible person, it is impossible to imagine how this plan could be put into practice. The article by Boris Vinogradov is entitled “Postponed status”.

- The Moscow Times has published an article by Alex Fak entitled “Chechnya adds to EU tensions”. According to the article, “the fighting in Chechnya has become a sore point in the continuing tug-of-war over trade issues between Russia and the European Union”.

8 februari 2004

- Official reaction to explosion in Moscow metro: (i) All media report that in response to the Moscow metro bombing, President Putin called on the international community to intensify the war on terrorism. “Only if we join our efforts can we cope with this plague of the 21st century”, he noted. Putin also said that Chechen separatist leader Aslan “Maskhadov and his bandits are linked to this terror”. He stressed that Russia would never conduct talks with terrorists, including Aslan Maskhadov. “Russia does not conduct talks with terrorists, Russia destroys them”, he said (ii) Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov promised “a tighter registration regime in Moscow”, saying that “measures against illegal migrants will be harsher” (Interfax).

11 februari 2004

- Human rights envoy on refugees return to Chechnya: At a press conference yesterday in Moscow, the Chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission Ella Pamfilova stated that she was worried by reports of indirect psychological pressure exerted by unidentified people posing as officials on Chechen IDPs living in tent camps in Ingushetia with a view to forcing the refugees to leave. Pamfilova added that “despite positive changes, no proper conditions have been created in Chechnya for settling and returning refugees”. She also suggested that some Chechen refugees should be resettled in a community built by Médecins Sans Frontières. (Interfax, RIAN)

- German FM to arrive in Kaliningrad today: Foreign Minister Fischer is due to arrive in Russia today, starting his visit in Kaliningrad where he will officially introduce Germany’s Consul-General. Tomorrow he will meet his Russian counterpart I. Ivanov in Moscow. The media note that a number of Kaliningrad NGOs held rallies protesting against Fischer’s visit due to his position on the Chechen issue. (Interfax, NG)

- The Moscow Times has published an article headed “EU gets Tough With Russia Over Chechnya”. The Chairman of the Duma International Affairs Committee Kosachyov is quoted as commenting that “a set of radically minded EU officials” were trying to express anti-Russian sentiments that were based on “caveman” ideas of the situation in Russia.

12 februari 2004

- U.S. journalist reported missing in Chechnya found: An American reporter Rebecca Santana, whom the U.S. Embassy had reported missing in the Northern Caucasus for three days, was located yesterday in Chechnya and was reported to be safe. (Interfax, MT)

13 februari 2004

- Putin meets FM Fischer: Referring to the Foreign Minister I. Ivanov, Interfax reports that at a meeting yesterday in the Kremlin, President Putin briefed German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer on Russia’s conditions for ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and informed on “measures that Russia is taking for the further settlement in Chechnya”. The issue of “how EU enlargement could proceed without negatively affecting cooperation with Russia” was also discussed. Fischer is reported as having expressed hope for a prompt resolution of cargo transit to and from the Kaliningrad region. Some dailies comment that there were disagreements over the development of democracy in Russia, the situation in Chechnya, the media and on Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia. (Interfax, Vremya novostei, Novyie Izvestia, MT)

- FM I. Ivanov on EU’s criticism over Chechen issue: RIAN reports that at a meeting with the members of Duma International Affairs Committee yesterday, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov emphasized that the criticism of Russia’s “Chechnya policy” on the part of the European Parliament is often conditioned by insufficient knowledge of the subject. He stated that the creation of an objective idea for a new democratic Russia is possible with the help of civil society due to expanding contacts. (RIAN)

16 februari 2004

- Former Chechen President dies after car blast in Qatar: Former Chechen President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, who had been living in exile in Qatar for over 3 years and was considered by the Russian authorities as an advocate of Islamic extremism, died last Friday of injuries after a bomb blast destroyed his car in Doha. The External Intelligence Service (SVR) denied its involvement in the killing. In a televised interview yesterday, Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov commented that an alleged row over money was behind Yandarbiyev’s killing. (All media)

- Human rights activist claims refugees under pressure to return to Chechnya; officials deny accusations: The head of the Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alexeeva stated last Friday that “pressure is being put on Chechen refugees to make them return to Chechnya”. Acting Chechen PM Eli Isayev emphasized that “there were no plans or dates for a forced return of the people and closing down the camps” and remarked that “by 1 March, authorities must create conditions for those migrants who want to return to Chechnya”. The Ingush President Marat Zyazikov also denied accusations that Chechen refugees were under pressure to return to Chechnya by a certain deadline. (Interfax)

17 februari 2004

- New council to coordinate humanitarian aid to Chechnya, Federal Minister Ilyasov: Following a meeting with UN Development Programme Administrator Mark Malloch Brown yesterday in Moscow, the Federal Minister for Chechen Affairs Stanislav Ilyasov stated that a council would be set up, within a month, to coordinate international humanitarian aid to Chechnya, which will include officials from the Chechen Government, the UN, the Russian Government office and the Red Cross. He noted that Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov “promised to find buildings for the international organisations’ offices in Grozny”. Attending the meeting, Kadyrov stressed that the Chechen law-enforcement agencies were ready to guarantee security to international organisations as long as they “coordinated their itineraries with the authorities”. (Interfax, RIAN, Vremya novostei)

- Kadyrov on counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya: (i) At a press conference yesterday in Grozny, Chechen President Kadyrov underlined that terrorism in Chechnya will only be eradicated after rebel leader Basayev and separatist ideologist Udugov are eliminated. He noted that Ichkerian/Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov “has always been under pressure from Basayev and has never dared to make his own decisions”. Kadyrov also suggested that the Chechen Interior Ministry should take control over the counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya. (ii) Having expressed readiness to provide security for humanitarian organisations in Chechnya, Kadyrov remarked that food supplied to Chechnya by relief agencies were often found in rebels’ caches. (Rossia TV, Interfax, RIAN, NG, Novyie Izvestia)

- OSCE Chairman to hold talks in Moscow: Today, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy will meet with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to discuss “disagreements” between Russia and the OSCE over the settlement of frozen conflicts in the post-Soviet states, the situation with human rights in Chechnya and other issues. (Interfax, RG)

- Chechen rebels to go to fight in Iraq?: Some Russian dailies today refer to an article in the American weekly magazine, Time, saying that a group of up to 2,000 Chechen rebels may go to Iraq on Jihad at the request of Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, whom U.S. intelligence believes is al-Qaeda's top operative in Iraq. (Izvestia, Gazeta, Vremya novostei)

18 februari 2004

- Russia, OSCE hold discussions: Following talks with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy yesterday in Moscow, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated that Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, the Transdnestrian Republic, and the OSCE are preparing to hold another five-sided meeting to discuss the Transdnestrian issue. He also pointed out that Russia and the OSCE agreed to elaborate programmes aimed at rebuilding Chechnya. The media report that during the talks Ivanov raised Russia’s concerns over the rights of Russian-speaking minorities in Latvia and Estonia. (Interfax, MT)

19 februari 2004

- Duma to toughen punishment for terrorism: (i) Also yesterday, the Duma unanimously passed the first reading of a draft bill to amend the Criminal Code which stipulates life imprisonment for convicted terrorists. The bill suggests that life imprisonment should be applied not only as an alternative to the capital penalty, but also as a punishment measure on its own. (ii) Commenting on the bill, Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov remarked that the tougher punishment “would not frighten terrorists”, adding that “their activities will be better planned”. (All media; Novyie Izvestia)

- Former Chechen head appointed Deputy FM: Former Chechen leader and Russian Ambassador to Tanzania Doku Zavgayev has been appointed the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of administrative and financial issues. A MFA representative rebutted assertions that Zavgayev’s appointment was political. (Interfax, RG, Kommersant, Izvestia, Novyie Izvestia)

20 februari 2004

- Refugees to be moved from tent camps to Chechnya by March, Chechen official: The Chechen Deputy PM Khamidov confirmed yesterday that refugees would be moved from tent camps in Ingushetia by early March, having noted that the refugees “will not be forced to move” and that they will be offered “more comfortable living conditions”. (Interfax, MT)

- Moscow authorities ban rally marking Chechen’s deportation: According to the human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov, the Moscow district authorities have informed the organisers of a rally, marking the 60th anniversary of Chechens’ deportation on 23 February, that “events will be held in the centre of Moscow on that day to mark the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland” and urged them to find “another place outside the centre”. (Ekho Moskvy, Interfax, Vremya novostei)

24 februari 2004

- Organisers of unauthorised rally to face court: The media report on the detention by the Moscow police of Lev Ponomaryov, head of For Human Rights movement, and Nikolai Khramov, head of the Russian Radicals movement. They organised an unauthorised rally yesterday in Moscow, marking the 60th anniversary of Chechens’ deportation. Ponomaryov and Khramov, who were later released, are expected to appear in court today. (Interfax, Kommersant, Novyie Izvestia)

- MFA denies forcing refugees to return to Chechnya: (i) Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov has denied media reports that the Russian authorities have been urging Chechen refugees in Ingushetia to return to Chechnya, having remarked that “such speculations are often fuelled by certain NGOs acting in this region, which care more about promoting themselves rather than about the fate of IDPs”. He also affirmed that there is no reason for the UNHRC to discuss the Chechen issue at its March session and pointed out that “positive processes are underway in Chechnya”. (ii) The Ingush President Marat Zyazikov stated that the Ingush authorities would accommodate refugees from Chechnya, who are expected to leave tent camps in Ingushetia but will not want to return home. (Interfax)

25 februari 2004

- Closing of Chechen refugee camps to be delayed, Presidential Envoy: According to the Presidential Envoy in the Southern Federal District Viktor Kazantsev, some tent camps for Chechen refugees will remain open for at least several more month in view that the authorities “need time to accommodate and employ returning residents of the Chechen Republic”. (MT)

26 februari 2004

- Zakayev visits Denmark: Some dailies today report about an unofficial meeting of Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev with Danish lawmakers yesterday in Copenhagen. (RG, Kommersant, MT)