10 February 2000
Text: U.S. Statement on Chechnya, Babitsky to OSCE Permanent Council
(Urges Russia to investigate abuses, reveal fate of journalist) (660) Ambassador David Johnson, the U.S. representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said February 10 that Russia must investigate allegations of human rights violations in Chechnya. "We are extremely disturbed by the February 7 Human Rights Watch report charging Russian forces with summarily executing civilians in Grozny in recent weeks," Johnson said. "The Russian Government has a clear obligation to investigate the latest reports of civilian killings and alleged misconduct by its soldiers." "With Grozny in ruins and hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the fighting, Russia must address the humanitarian needs of civilians there urgently," he said. "We remain convinced that dialogue and a political solution, as called for in the OSCE Istanbul Declaration, remain the only viable option." Johnson also called on Russia to reveal the truth about missing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Andrei Babitsky. The Russian government has said Babitsky, who had been detained, was traded to the Chechen rebels for two Russian soldiers, and that he is alive and well. "We cannot understand the Government of Russia turning over Mr. Babitsky, as they have stated, to individuals and groups they have themselves labeled as, 'bandits and terrorists,'" Johnson said. "We find this activity inconsistent with the Russian Federation's commitment to all of us under the Code of Conduct, as well as its obligations under international humanitarian law. We hold the Government of Russia responsible for his fate." Following is the text of Johnson's statement: (begin text) Statement on Chechnya Delivered by Ambassador David T. Johnson to the Permanent Council, Vienna February 10, 2000 We are extremely disturbed by the February 7 Human Rights Watch report charging Russian forces with summarily executing civilians in Grossly in recent weeks. Secretary Albright pointed out last week in Moscow the need to investigate reports like this during her meetings with acting President Putin and Foreign Minister Ivanov. The Russian Government has a clear obligation to investigate the latest reports of civilian killings and alleged misconduct by its soldiers. We call on the Government of Russia to conduct a full, credible, and transparent investigation into these matters. We are also extremely concerned about the fate of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Andrei Babitsky. We cannot understand the Government of Russia turning over Mr. Babitsky, as they have stated, to individuals and groups they have themselves labeled as "bandits and terrorists." We find this activity inconsistent with the Russian Federation's commitment to all of us under the Code of Conduct, as well as its obligations under international humanitarian law. We hold the Government of Russia responsible for his fate and we cannot understand the shifting and contradictory explanations made by Russian Government spokesmen. As a former spokesman, I would urge the Russian Government to follow a standard that all of us should aspire to: that's to tell the truth; tell it early; tell it often; and, above all, to tell it yourself. We will continue to follow this situation very closely. With Grozny in ruins and hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the fighting, Russia must address the humanitarian needs of civilians there urgently. As Secretary Albright said on February 2 in Moscow, "As long as the fighting continues, it will serve as a magnet for extremism that could one day risk the stability of the entire region. Only a political resolution of the conflict will set the stage for building a peaceful, prosperous Chechnya within the Russian Federation." We remain convinced that dialogue and a political solution, as called for in the OSCE Istanbul Declaration, remain the only viable option. We believe the OSCE can-and should-play an important role toward this end -- as was acknowledged by all of us in Istanbul. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)
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