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U.S. Ambassador Renews Call for OSCE-Russia Cooperation in Chechnya

U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe
Vienna
September 20, 2000
STATEMENT ON CHECHNYA
DELIVERED BY AMBASSADOR DAVID T. JOHNSON TO THE PERMANENT COUNCIL
September 20, 2000
Thank you, Madame Chairperson. As the war in Chechnya enters its
second year, and human rights abuses and atrocities continue, the
United States, like the European Union, remains convinced that there
is and will be no military solution to this conflict.
The international community, including the United States, awaits steps
by Russia to honor its commitment made almost one year ago in Istanbul
to allow and facilitate the return of the OSCE Assistance Group.
The commitment made then was unambiguous: "We affirm the existing
mandate of the OSCE Assistance Group of Chechnya."
These assurances were later reiterated by President Putin to the
Chairperson-in-Office and have been repeated at the highest levels to
my Government.
In providing these assurances, Russia affirmed that the OSCE has an
important role to play in providing humanitarian assistance and in
monitoring the situation on the ground.
The United States appreciates the efforts of the Chairperson-in-Office
and Ambassador Missong to negotiate return of the Assistance Group. We
will continue to support these efforts.
We call on the Government of the Russian Federation to meet the OSCE's
flexibility on security and technical issues and to expedite the
Assistance Group's return.