DATE=1/14/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=CHECHNYA WAR
NUMBER=5-45251
BYLINE=ED WARNER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// Re-running w/correct spelling in second graph from
text ///
INTRO: The war in Chechnya is beginning to resemble
the previous one of 1994-96 - a rapid Russian advance
stalled by increasing Chechen resistance and guerrilla
tactics. While Russian casualties mount, generals
start to bicker among themselves, and the Moscow press
grows more critical. At this point, the designated
foreign minister of Chechnya is visiting Washington in
search of some solution to the conflict. V-O-A's Ed
Warner reports.
TEXT: What to do with a foreign minister who is not
exactly a foreign minister? That was the dilemma
facing Washington as Ilyas Akhmadov arrived from
Chechnya looking for some help in ending the war with
Russia.
Designated foreign minister of the Republic of
Chechnya, Mr. Akhmadov represents a c-o-u-n-t-r-y not
recognized by the United States, which considers the
region still part of Russia.
As a result, no senior U-S officials have met with Mr.
Akhmadov, who has to be content with talks in a hotel
lobby rather than the State Department. A U-S
spokesman emphasized there is no change in policy
toward Chechnya.
Even so, Russia's foreign minister, Igor Ivanov,
complained the United States is supporting terrorism
by allowing any meetings at all with Mr. Akhmadov.
Mr. Akhmadov did meet with private groups, including
the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International
Studies. There, he derided Moscow's reasons for
invading Chechnya, such as blaming Chechen terrorists
for bombing Russian buildings:
/// Akhmadov Act, from Russian to English
///
The Russian government several months ago
announced that it had discovered the home of
international terrorism, and it turned out to be
our republic. It also had the technology for
fighting that terrorism, and now the whole world
knows what that technology is. It is now
fighting terrorism with all kinds of weapons,
airplanes, bombs, artillery and a huge army.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Akhmadov said Moscow seems intent on the total
destruction of Chechnya. He stressed such human
rights violations as the internment of civilians.
Mr. Akhmadov saw little prospect of negotiations
unless there is outside pressure. But the Clinton
administration has ruled out any mediating role,
saying that is the job of Europeans.
The current fighting had its origins in a raid into
Dagestan last summer by Chechen rebels. Their leader,
Shamil Basayev, is a free-wheeling warlord who
operates on his own and has aroused considerable
suspicions about his motives, even among Chechens.
At the Johns Hopkins University meeting, Wayne Merry
of the Atlantic Council asked Mr. Akhmadov about some
of these suspicions:
/// Merry act ///
There have been many conflicting reports about
Shamil Basayev's invasion of Dagestan last
summer, including many rumors that he was
working on behalf either of the Russian security
services or for (Russian mogul and media czar)
Boris Berezovsky in order to provoke this war.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Akhmadov doubted this charge of double-dealing:
/// Akhmadov Act, from Russian to English
///
I don't not think that Shamil Basayev is working
for Russian intelligence, and even if he does,
he does not realize that.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Akhmadov also spoke at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies. Chris Swift, who closely
follows the war for C-S-I-S, says Mr. Akhmadov is
proud of the Chechen resistance, but wary of
increasing Russian brutality, especially the use of
highly destructive fuel air bombs against civilians.
Mr. Swift says the Russians do not want a protracted
war that could jeopardize Vladimir Putin's Presidency:
/// Swift Act ///
To that extent, they will look for an objective
that can become a political end to the war. An
example of that would be storming and seizing
Grozny, perhaps capturing Basayev - something
along those lines that would allow Putin's
Russian government to say they have won their
political victory in Chechnya and would allow
them to withdraw before any rear action
guerrilla battles could really undermine public
support for the campaign.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Swift says Russia needs to achieve something it
can call a victory, because a clear victory is not
possible. (signed)
NEB/EW/JP
14-Jan-2000 21:34 PM EDT (15-Jan-2000 0234 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
