Text: State Department on Persons Displaced from Chechnya
(Answer to taken question from January 2 State Department briefing) (290) Following is the official answer to a question regarding the closure of camps for persons displaced from Chechnya taken at the January 2 regular State Department briefing; the answer was posted later in the day: (begin text) U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman January 2, 2003 Taken Question from January 2, 2003 Daily Press Briefing STATUS OF CLOSURE OF CAMPS FOR PERSONS DISPLACED FROM CHECHNYA Question: Have we received a response from Russia on our concerns about the closure of camps for persons displaced from Chechnya? Answer: We welcome Russia's repeated assurances that persons displaced from Chechyna would not be forced to return there against their will. We also regard as a positive development President Putin's agreement to allow a public commission to review options for internally displaced persons living in Ingushetia before taking action. We note that the United Nations does not regard as voluntary the return of more than 500 internally displaced persons after a camp was closed on December 2 due to pressure from the authorities. We also have concerns about the adequacy of alternative living arrangements for those who leave camps that are closed down. We will continue to work with others in the international community to monitor the situation and make our views known to Moscow. Returning to Chechnya for those who have sought safe haven in other parts of Russia must be voluntary and without pressure or coercion. Internally displaced persons' concerns about the lack of safety in Chechnya remain a major obstacle to their voluntary return. Those who do not wish to return to Chechnya must have a viable option to stay in Ingushetia. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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