Chechen president: draft resolution on Chechnya lends moral support to rebels

President of Chechnya Akhmad Kadyrov has considered the draft resolution on Chechnya presented by the European Union at the 60th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights as lending moral support to the rebels.

"The authors of such statements really impede the process of political settlement in Chechnya," Akhmad Kadyrov said on Friday, April 9.

"I've said many times that "people in the forest" take different appeals to start negotiations with [separatist leader] Maskhadov as a real chance of regaining power and getting back to the times of Ichkeria, times when Kalashnikov [rifle] was triumphant in Chechnya, trafficking in people, kidnappings with the purpose of getting ransom flourished, and human rights were trampled and blended with blood," the Chechen president said.

The head of the republic added that the analysis of the situation with illegal armed units showed "only a few stay with Maskhadov, and he will have to give up or try to escape from Chechnya, which he will hardly be able to do."

The process of political settlement began as far back as 2000, and the speed has never been dropped, he said.

"Western countries - if they really worry about the fate of the Chechen people - could make a considerable contribution to the restoration of Chechnya by means of investments in the construction of hospitals, kindergartens, rehabilitation centers, and in the creation of workplaces. But we have not seen it so far," Akhmad Kadyrov concluded.

Editors note: See also the article "Joint statement by leading rights monitors: UN Human Rights Commission should adopt resolution on Chechnya".