16 June 2004 10:20
Russia welcomes OIC aid to restore normal life in Chechnya
Istanbul, 16 June: Russia's policy of a political settlement in Chechnya remains unchanged, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov said today at a ministerial conference of the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC] in
Istanbul.
"We are open to the participation of OIC observers both in the early Chechen presidential election [on 29
August] and in the subsequent election to the republic's legislative body," the minister said.
"Russia was one of the first to experience strikes by international terrorists," he said. "A new link
in the sequence of their crimes was the brutal killing of Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov."
In the Russian minister's view, "this terrorist act pursued the aim of wrecking the peace process that is
gathering momentum and of disrupting the work of the constitutional agencies of power in the Chechen Republic, which
were elected in democratic elections with the participation of international observers, including observers from the
OIC".
"However, despite the terrorists' calculations," Lavrov stressed, "our policy for a political
settlement in Chechnya, which relies on the support of the Chechen people, remains unchanged."
Russia "highly values the understanding that this position receives in the Islamic world".
"We are interested in practical cooperation with OIC countries in the matter of reviving the national economy,
culture, education and other spheres of life in Chechnya," the minister said. "We would welcome the
contribution of your states in carrying out projects for the Chechen Republic that are being implemented through
UNESCO."
Russia and the OIC "act from close positions on issues connected with opposing the worst threats and challenges
of the 21st century such as international terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction".
"These global challenges require collective efforts on the part of the entire world community, supported by the
UN and international law," the minister said.
"Terrorism carries a threat to the lives and rights of people, tries to provoke chaos and destabilizes states
and entire regions. Without the most resolute fight against this evil, it is not possible to count on the steady
development of our countries and the successful resolution of existing social and economic problems."
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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