14.02.2000 15:00 ON THE SITUATION IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS
SERGEI V. YASTRZHEMBSKY - assistant to the Russian President on the coordination of the information and analytical work of the federal executive authorities involved in the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus
YASTRZHEMBSKY: Let's begin with the order of the Supreme Commander, "On Commending the Personnel of the Joint Grouping of Troops (Forces) Involved in the Counter-Terrorist Operations on the Territory of the North Caucasian Region of the Russian Federation."
The order says: "Acting with the purpose of commending the personnel of the Joint Grouping of Forces, I hereby order:
"1. To issue an official message of thanks to the personnel of the Joint Grouping of Troops (Forces) involved in the counter-terrorist operations on the territory of the North Caucasian region of the Russian Federation for selfless and valiant defence of the homeland.
"2. The head of the operational staff of the counter-terrorist operations on the territory of the North Caucasian region should organize the delivery of the message of thanks from the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to the personnel of the Joint Group of Forces who have distinguished themselves.
"3. To have this order read in all companies, battalions, squadrons and comparable units of the Joint Grouping of Forces.
"Vladimir Putin, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation."
Here is official information, which was issued late last week but had not been commented on by anyone. I would like to speak in more detail about it. The point at issue is the government instructions on ensuring the constitutional right of the population of the Chechen Republic to information. The instructions are designed to create a material and technical base for the issue of information through both the electronic and the classical printed media.
As of today, the information map of Chechnya looks as follows: The newspaper Chechnya Svobodnaya (Free Chechnya) is printed in 20,000 copies and distributed in the republic free of charge. A total of 10,000 copies of Rossiiskaya Gazeta are also distributed in the republic free of charge. The Chechnya Svobodnaya radio broadcasts to some 25% of the republican territory, and television reception is stable in the Shelkovskaya, Nadterechny and Naurskaya districts, as well as in Gudermes. The mountain regions are a zone of information vacuum, which is mostly filled in with the output of the separatists' rumour factory.
Seeking to ensure the constitutional right of the Chechen population to information, the Russian government issued enlarged instructions, which provide for a package of measures. Many ministries and departments, above all the Ministry of the Press and Information and the VGTRK state radio and television company, are responsible for the fulfilment of these instructions. They stipulate the creation of a printing complex in Mozdok, the provision by the VGTRK of broadcasting equipment, satellite reception stations, and mast antennas, which have been produced for the purpose of restoring radio and television broadcasting on the territory of Chechnya. Radio frequencies will be issued for broadcasting radio and television programmes to Chechnya. The Finance Ministry was instructed to analyse the allocation of up to 22 million roubles from the government's reserve fund in the first quarter of this year. In addition, the state plans to provide 67.5 million roubles on radio and television broadcasting and nearly 3 million roubles on the publication of printed media.
I received a report from Gudermes today, which says that the Vainakh radio and television company of Chechnya has been broadcasting since early February. As of now, it covers only a 30km zone outside Gudermes and broadcasts for only two hours a day, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.. The team ensuring these daily broadcasts consists of barely ten persons, but all of them are professional journalists, directors and cameramen. We can only hope that the government's instructions will considerably expand the information possibilities of the liberated regions of Chechnya.
As you know, a stable trend for publishing memory books with the names of the citizens of the Russian Federation, servicemen and the staff of the Interior Ministry, who died while doing their military duty, has developed in Russia thanks to the efforts of the public, the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers and many mass media. Several initiative groups are collecting information now about the servicemen who died during the counter-terrorist operation. Aware of the exceptional social and moral importance of this initiative, Vladimir Putin instructed me to suggest to all initiative groups that they should pool their efforts to prepare the publication of this sad, but necessary, book in memory of those who did their duty and died during the counter-terrorist operation in Daghestan and Chechnya. The state will finance the publication of this book.
A few words about the well-publicised case of the liberation of Junior Sergeant Aleksandr Shershnev of the Airborne Force. According to available information, Aleksandr Shershnev was liberated on 13 February during a combat operation in the Vedeno district and is expected to arrive in Moscow today.
Here is the latest report on the progress of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. The bandit warlords are still fighting hard to keep the Argun gorge. The bandit groups deployed in the mountain regions are trying to stop the advance of the joint group of federal forces. They are overhauling their positions, restoring communication systems, and trying to replenish their weapons, munitions and food stocks. They are reinforcing their groups with the fighters, who had escaped from the flat parts of Chechnya, and 14-16-year-old residents of mountain villages. Mobile bandit groups, consisting mostly of the Daghestani Wahhabis and mercenaries, are concentrating in the vicinity of Khatun, Kirov-Yurt, Makhketa and Agishta.
In the past day, the Joint Grouping of federal forces repelled an attempt to break the encirclement of the bandit group in the settlement of Gekhi-Chu. The federal forces liquidated the bandits' base, two lorries and a score of bandits. In the past day, the frontline aviation made 33 flights, including 31 combat ones.
Information of the Federal Frontier Service: The border guards carried out active entrapment and reconnaissance actions in several directions and on the approaches to the joint and basic camps and units. As a result, they found a major depot of several thousand bullets, 144 mortar mines, different detonators, an anti-tank guided missile, 56kg of explosives, four radio stations, four gasoline engines, and an antenna.
Information of the Interior Ministry: Special operations were held in 26 settlements and 150 men suspected of committing crimes, including five members of illegal armed formations, were detained in the past day.
Information of the Ministry of Justice about the situation at the filtration camp in the settlement of Chernokozovo, Naurskaya district. There are 270 persons there, while 347 have been released after the inspection of their documents. You asked at the previous briefing if we could organise a visit of journalists to Chernokozovo. We can do this. We will form a small group of journalists, who will be accompanied by experts from the Ministry of Justice to that camp on February 23 or 24.
Information of the Ministry of Emergencies: Medical and food stations have been established in the Staropromyslovsky and Oktyabrsky districts of Grozny. Some of the city districts, including the above two, are getting fresh water. Civilians continue to leave Grozny.
On the situation with Liberation correspondent Anne Nivat. The mass media provided different interpretations of her story, including some absolutely false ones. One example is today's issue of Novaya Gazeta, which carried virtually completely false information. I think the genuine situation with Anne Nivat is highly instructive, especially for foreign correspondents.
A local resident was detained in the settlement of Noviye Atagi during an investigation operation on February 7. He is Revzan Varsanov, a prominent member of illegal armed formations. There were two women in his house. One of them said she was his wife, and the other said she was a relative. The search of the house produced some 400 videocassettes and a satellite communication device. Varsanov said at a preliminary interrogation that the woman who said she was his relative was not such at all. She is journalist Anne Nivat of the French newspaper Liberation. Varsanov said the journalist had to keep her identity secret from the federal authorities, because she was working in Chechnya without an accreditation.
An investigation group returned to Varsanov's house on February 11 and found the journalist there. Here is what she said in an interview to Ekho Moskvy: "A representative of the Office of the General Prosecutor asked if I would go with him to Mozdok as a witness. I agreed; we had a very nice conversation." Anne was interviewed as a witness by a representative of the Office of the Prosecutor General in Mozdok. But Novaya Gazeta writes that her fate was not clear and that she was called for an interrogation to the FSB on Sunday. It also writes many other incongruous things. We hope we'll see the French journalist when she comes for her accreditation. She will be also warned that she would be able to work with this accreditation in Chechnya only in the presence of representatives of the provisional press centre. As for Revzan Varsanov, he was released after giving his testimony and surrendering his weapon, and is now in the settlement of Noviye Atagi.
Now I would like to read out the list of mass media journalists selected for the third group. The first two groups have already returned. I have no complaints about their work; on the contrary, I have positive information. We hope that we will continue to work in the same vein. The third group is to leave for Chechnya on February 15, provided we get the plane. It includes journalists from Paris Match, NHK (Japan), the Associated Press (USA), Trud (Russia), Der Spiegel (Germany), Antenne-3 (Spain), the Moskovia TV company and CBS.
We are currently creating a fourth group, which will go to Chechnya in a week. We might have additional information reasons for expanding the number of journalists on this group. As of today, nearly 300 journalists have received their accreditation. We are working on the possibility of regularly sending journalists working in Mozdok on one-day visits to the hostilities zone, because there are quite a few journalists in Mozdok. Some of them, in particular the group of the Swedish television, attempted to reach the frontline without permission. They were brought back and warned. We will continue to cooperate.
I noticed that the foreign mass media are carrying on an active news-making campaign over the alleged limitations on the territory of Chechnya. Their conclusion is that journalists in other conflict zones had greater information resources and complete freedom of movement. Those who know little about this might regard this as true, but I would like to speak with professionals seriously and on the basis of practical examples. We once more analysed the international legal documents of the UN, UNESCO, OSCE and the Council of Europe on the rights and duties of journalists during internal conflicts. And we came to the conclusion, which was known long before, that international law hardly stipulates the rights and duties of journalists in internal conflicts. Consequently, all references to international law are not convincing and can be effective only in the case of dilettantes.
There are such documents are the UNESCO General Declaration of 1978, the declaration of basic principles concerning the contribution of the mass media to the strengthening of peace and international understanding. There is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which hardly mentions journalists. There is the draft convention on the protection of journalists sent on dangerous missions in the zone of armed conflicts. This is a very good document, elaborated by the UN, but it exists only in the form of a draft now. The next UN General Assembly might approve it. Article 13 of this documents says that the state taking part in the conflict has the right to allow, or to prohibit, those who make corresponding requests to visit some dangerous regions, in accordance with the same criteria on the basis of which permissions are issued to its own journalists.
I can assure you that we are acting strictly in accordance with these recommendations of this convention, which has not been approved yet. The Russian mass media have the same rights and accreditation conditions as the foreign media. Not to mention the fact that a comparison of their work here and the accreditation conditions during the operations in Bosnia or Kosovo, or during Operation Desert Storm, will show that conditions are much more liberal in Russia. This is why foreign journalists should not speak too often about the absence of certain laws and constitutional provisions in Russia.
We have the decree of the Russian president on the creation of the Joint Staff of the Joint Grouping of Federal Forces in the North Caucasus. Under it, the full power and responsibility rests with Marshal Sergeyev, the Defence Minister of Russia, who was charged with making corresponding decisions, in particular, regulate the procedure of allowing Russian and foreign citizens to the territory of the counter-terrorist operation. This is our legal document, our law, and our constitution, yours and mine. If we act in the framework of this law, everything will be all right.
FRANCE PRESSE: My first question is: Are vacuum bombs being used in Chechnya and, if they are not, are you going to use them? My second question concerns a recent report by the Memorial human rights organisation that Chechens are tortured and treated very cruelly in filtration centres such as the one at Chernokozovo. Could you comment on this report? Is it true?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: Concerning your first question, I think there is a difference in terminology. What you call "vacuum" bombs the military call "air-fuel explosives." I may be mistaken but my impression is that such bombs have not been used up to now. I will specify this matter additionally. If I am mistaken, I will correct my mistake.
With regard to your second question. To clarify the matter we will organise a visit to Chernokozovo for all of you who would like to see it. I think that such reports are not true. In Chernokozovo, for instance, high-ranking European officials are going to examine the conditions of detainees, the way they are treated, and so on, and so forth. I think the journalists corps will support the work of their delegation.
EGYPTIAN TELEVISION: How can you explain discrepancies in reports on Chechnya? Today you have said that the air force has made thirty-three sorties. To believe a noon report by TASS the number is one hundred. This is first. Second, concerning vacuum bombs or air-fuel explosives. General Manilov said that such bombs had not been used yet. He told me this on Friday. General Chernyakov was quoted today as saying that we used and will use high-yield - 1.5-ton - bombs. Is there any difference between these bombs? Third: Marshal Sergeyev said last week that the active phase of the operation will take place in a day or two. Today he has said that when it will begin, we will know this.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: Concerning different reports. They are simply worded differently. If we combine all the sorties by army aircraft, which include helicopters and cargo and paratroops carrier aircraft, the number will be much larger - more than a hundred for the past twenty-four hours. I have mentioned only the combat assignments by army aircraft with the use of different armament, and not the total number of sorties for the entire operation.
I know Marshal Sergeyev's statement; he did not give any deadlines. In general, no one has ever talked today of any time schedules since his appointment. I think this is absolutely correct. Marshal Sergeyev meant something different, namely: when the concluding operation begins in the Argun gorge, you will naturally know this. As for technicalities in the names of the bombs, I would rather take a pause and clarify the matter so as to discuss it more specifically.
REN-TV: Could you be so kind as to comment on the reports that Beslan Gantamirov has arrived in Moscow? These reports are very contradictory: according to some, he is ill and, according to others, he has been wounded.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I do not have information that Beslan Gantamirov has arrived in Moscow. The last thing I know that, according to information from the Chechen republic, he is staying there. I suppose his statement was transmitted along the Interfax channels today.
CNN TELEVISION: Nikolai Koshman said today that there are no plans to restore Grozny. I will now quote what he has said: "Today Grozny should receive the closed city status." What are the plans for Grozny's future? Will Gudermes become the new capital of Chechnya?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: To be absolutely precise, Koshman said that there is no money for the restoration of Grozny this year. This sounds a little bit differently, doesn't it? I have no ground to disavow Nikolai Koshman's words. He is the prime news maker as far as the situation with the restoration of the Chechen economy is concerned. In this concrete case he made accent on the fact that the situation in Grozny remains incredibly complicated from the ecological and safety standpoints. Many facilities are still mined. Special caution should be used with regard to the return of civilians to those regions, which have not been examined by sappers. According to some information, large stocks of toxic substances are hidden in the city. We do not exclude the existence of large stocks of ammunition, including mines, which should be treated with great caution. This, Koshman believes, makes the presence of civilian population in Grozny very dangerous and difficult. Hence the conclusion on the need to turn it into a closed city and continue de-mining and searches for toxic substances, as Koshman offers.
The question about the capital remains open, in my opinion. And it will be open for a long time, as it is necessary to prepare its solution, which involves numerous ministries and departments. If the capital is not Grozny, it can be Gudermes, probably Argun or some other town. It goes without saying that Chechens should be directly drawn into decision-making on this problem.
LE MONDE, FRANCE: Our newspaper is running a new article about the situation at Chernokozovo. The stories told by numerous people we have interviewed coincide: systematic torture, senseless executions, rapes. My first question is: Do you still refute these facts? Who is the European Union representative who is to go to Chernokozovo?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I will be able to give you the name of the European Union envoy tonight. I suppose he is being sent to Chernokozovo precisely to find out where the truth is in connection with these rumours. I think that these rumours are actively used by Chechen propagandists. They know Europe's sensitive strings and pull these strings quite aptly. I am sure that the arriving EU mission, which will also include members of the press corps, will be able to give a comprehensive answer to all these questions. If necessary, let us organise here a press conference by Justice Minister Chaika. The facility which arouses such a keen interest among you is his domain.
TVT TELEVISION COMPANY: Could you tell us the number of Chechen militants in the Vedeno and Argun gorges and in Shatoi? Do you confirm the report that Basayev has been taken over to Turkey?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I have no such information. There have been some reports about Raduyev but none about Basayev. The number of rebels in the regions which you have mentioned and which have not been liberated yet ranges from 4,500 to 6,000 or 7,000, according to different sources. I am unable to give you a more exact breakdown according to regions, neighbourhoods and apartment blocks right now.
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES: We have received the following information from the residents of Katyr-Yurt. It had a population of around 10,000 and practically all the buildings were intact till February 4. Chechens say that at 4 a.m. on February 4, when the rebels who had broken away from Grozny entered Katyr-Yurt, Russian aircraft and artillery guns started massive bombing and shelling, which continued for more than 24 hours. Local people say that practically 80 percent of housing was destroyed, about 170 civilians killed and many wounded. If this really happened, why weren't civilians taken beyond firing range? And why were the tactics, which already proved successful in other settlements and villages where rebels were present, not used at Katyr-Yurt?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: This is a legitimate question. Give me some time and I will answer it at our briefing tomorrow. I know some of the things you have mentioned from reports by NTV correspondents. They said that there was a battle and there were Chechen insurgents in that settlement. But they did not find any confirmation of large-scale casualties among civilians. They showed a rather elderly man who was wounded. That is all I know at this stage. But I promise you to give a more explicit answer at tomorrow's briefing.
THE VOICE OF AMERICA: Correspondent Peter Hainline was in a refugee camp in Ingushetia yesterday. He says that refugees are no longer supplied with water, hot food and bread. How could you comment on this? Can it be a policy aimed to force refugees to return to Chechnya? Can you guarantee that the refugees will not be repatriated by force?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: All previous similar reports were refuted right away. Allegations about inhuman treatment of refugees are floated by some Western mass media. The facts that I have at my disposal show that the volume of humanitarian aid has not been trimmed. What is more, some humanitarian organisations increase their aid and new organisations become involved in such efforts. All the data on the Chechen Republic, Ingushetia and Daghestan show that the volume of humanitarian aid grows every week. Here is the latest information on the situation in Ingushetia: seven temporary residence cantonments have been organised; they cater to 32,500 refugees. A total of 103 thousand people have returned to places of permanent abode. I do not recollect a single instance when anyone has been forced to return to the Chechen Republic.
THE VOICE OF AMERICA: But this is not according to information from, say, human rights organisations. This is first-hand information from people who saw it all with their own eyes on the spot.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I will check it.
THE VOICE OF AMERICA: If you please.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: Who has seen what, what has been shown, who has been interviewed... There is a large number of news-makers on the payroll of foreign mass media there .
AKM INFORMATION AGENCY: The Kavkaz-1 checkpoint was closed again on February 7. Will such steps be repeated in the future? Ingushetia authorities claim that it has been done on orders from the military.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: In my opinion, there was no and there is no problem. If a checkpoint is blocked for a limited time owing to a changing operations situation, this should not be regarded as some kind of malicious strategy towards refugees. Yes, this checkpoint was periodically closed for an hour, two hours or three hours on grounds of reports that Chechen militants were preparing a large-scale subversive operation either directly in the area of the checkpoint or in adjacent regions. It is obviously worth discontinuing the work of a checkpoint for an hour or two hours to verify such reports, isn't it? I believe it is - in order to prevent casualties among the civilian population.
QUESTION: Mr. Yastrzhembsky, do officials, in particular, the Interior Minister or the chief of the North Caucasus department in the Office of the General Prosecutor, coordinate with you the absolutely contradictory information they provide before they release it or do they spread false information at their own risk?
YASTRZHEMBSKY: This is an outrageous allegation. This is contradictory information from your point of view, but others do not regard it as such. What is your point?
THE SAME VOICE: /Now it is alleged that/ Babitsky was freed on condition that he would not leave Moscow, /later/ it is claimed that the punitive measure has been changed and /still later/ that it has not been changed.
YASTRZHEMBSKY: I suppose Mr. Biryukov has given comprehensive information on this matter. It is the prosecutor's office that supervises the legal framework of the entire situation. I would advise you to pay closer attention, above all, to the remarks made by Mr. Biryukov. The above-mentioned officials are holding sufficiently high-ranking posts to speak for themselves. They are perfectly capable political and state leaders who formulate their own statements. It is only natural that we maintain contacts almost on a daily basis.
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