Doc. 8686

31 March 2000

Situation in Chechnya

Implementation of Recommendation 1444 (2000)

Communication

President of the Assembly

Letter from the Chairman of the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, dated 28 March 2000

Dear President,

      I have the honour to hand over the memorandum of the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the implementation of Recommendation 1444 (2000) on the situation in the Chechen Republic.

...

Signed:

Dmitry Rogozin

Unofficial translation

Situation in the Chechen Republic

Memorandum of the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe concerning the implementation of Recommendation 1444 (2000)

      Recommendation 1444 (2000) on the conflict in Chechnya has been carefully examined by the Chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

      The elimination of a dangerous source of terrorism, the restoration of democratic institutions, and the rule of law and ensuring human rights in the Chechen Republic are priority tasks for the Federal Assembly.

      The issue was discussed on 11 February at a special meeting of the State Duma also attended by N.P. Koshman, deputy Chairman of the Government and Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of the Russian Federation in the Chechen Republic, I.D. Sergeyev, Minister for Defence, and V.B. Rushailo, Minister for the Interior. During the meeting, representatives of all political factions presented their assessment of the situation in the region and recommendations to achieve its early normalisation.

      The State Duma decided to establish two interfactional groups of Deputies: one to study the conditions of service of the military personnel engaged in the antiterrorist operation, and the other to address the social and economic situation in the Chechen Republic. Members of these groups visited the Chechen Republic and other areas of the North Caucasus in February and March this year. The results of the visits and proposals by the Deputies were discussed at a plenary meeting of the State Duma.

      On 25 February 2000, the State Duma amended its resolution on the procedure of granting amnesty to persons who committed socially dangerous acts during the antiterrorist operation in the North Caucasus by extending the period of amnesty to 15 May 2000. This step was motivated by the desire to minimise the number of victims, including among the civilian population, and to facilitate an early transition to the settlement of the situation by peaceful means.

      Based on the findings of the PACE ad hoc committee which visited the region, the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to PACE drafted a letter to V.V. Putin, acting President of the Russian Federation, containing specific proposals aimed at ensuring human rights in the Chechen Republic and providing assistance to its population. The proposals were approved by the acting President of the Russian Federation who gave appropriate instructions to the executive bodies.

      It was decided to create an interfactional Commission of the State Duma on Human Rights, Displaced Persons and the Normalisation of the Social, Political and Economic Situation in the Chechen Republic. The terms of reference of the commission include the analyses of information and elaboration of legislative proposals facilitating the normalisation of the situation and protection of human rights in the Chechen Republic, as well as contribution to solving practical issues related to assistance to the affected population.

      All members of the Federal Assembly realise that the Chechen Republic lives through a tragic period, which resulted from the seizure of power in Chechnya by a criminal regime guilty of mass violations of human rights, including murders, public executions, abductions and terrorist acts in the territory of Russia. Federal authorities also share the responsibility for the abnormal situation that prevailed in the Chechen Republic in 1996-99, as they failed to take timely and appropriate measures to return the Chechen Republic into the legal space of the Russian Federation.

      After the terrorist attack on Dagestan, and explosions and apartment buildings in Moscow and other cities of the Russian Federation, the federal authorities were compelled to resort to extreme measures that involved the use of military force against the terrorist bandit groups. The use of military force, naturally, always entails some violations and restrictions of the rights of citizens. The Deputies of the State Duma share the concern of the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe regarding the complex situation in the North Caucasus region. We share, and to a great extent implement, many provisions of Recommendation 1444 (2000).

      At the same time, we do not agree with some of its assessments and recommendations. We are of the impression that they have resulted from a lack of reliable information on the progress of the antiterrorist operation and the measures taken by the Russian side. It is also necessary to take into account that none of the demands of paragraph 11 of Recommendation 1444 (2000) addressed to the “Chechen side” (according to the wording of the document) was taken into consideration by that side.

      Despite the amnesty declared by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation the terrorists failed to introduce a ceasefire. Not a single hostage has been released on the initiative of the “Chechen elected representatives”. According to available information, 875 people remain hostage.

      Members of the bandit groups have failed to cease acts of terrorism and violence. Every day they open fire at the check points of the Russian troops and provisional authorities, mine the roads and railways, organise provocations against the civilian population, including opening fire on towns and villages. We continue to hear threats that the combatants intend to commit terrorist acts inside Russia, including against high-ranking officials, as well as nuclear facilities.

      The Federal Assembly has no knowledge of any fact of judicial prosecution by the Maskhadov regime of persons accused of committing acts of terrorism and violence.

      In its approach to the settlement of the situation in the Chechen Republic the Federal Assembly is guided by the assumption that the Chechen Republic is a subject of the Russian Federation, and its citizens of all nationalities are the citizens of Russia. In no way do we consider the conflict to be interethnic or religious and we insist that the rights of all residents of the Chechen Republic be observed, regardless of their ethnic origins and religion. Political settlement of the situation is only possible on the basis of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.

      Following is a more detailed comment on the measures taken by the Russian side to implement paragraph 16 of Recommendation 1444 (2000):

      i.       “To introduce an immediate and complete ceasefire and, in particular, to stop immediately all indiscriminate and disproportionate military action in Chechnya, including use of young conscripts, and to cease all attacks against the civilian population.”A

      A complete ceasefire also implies the ceasefire and cessation of military operations by the bandit groups. In January 2000, during the Muslim religious holidays, the federal forces introduced a unilateral ceasefire. The bandit groups responded to this manifestation of good will by attempting to intensify hostilities, which led to additional victims among those taking part in the antiterrorist operation and the civilian population. A number of major provocations were also committed by the terrorists after the PACE Recommendation 1444 had been adopted. As a result, Russian military personnel suffered great losses in Grozny and near the settlement of Ulus-Kert.

      In the course of the operation to restore constitutional order in the Chechen Republic in 1994-96, Russia declared a unilateral ceasefire on several occasions. Unfortunately, this often led to regrouping of bandits, seizure of positions they had previously lost and additional unjustified victims. In the light of the announced amnesty, members of bandit groups who have not committed especially grievous crimes, can be released from punishment if they lay down their arms voluntarily. Separate groups of combatants numbering several hundred seized this opportunity. Naturally, military force has not been used against such persons when they declared their readiness to lay down arms.

      Nevertheless, about 3 000 combatants, including more than 700 mercenaries, are still fiercely resisting federal troops in the mountainous areas in the south of Chechnya. Moreover, some 2 000 members of bandit groups disguised as civilians have returned to the liberated areas of Chechnya to commit armed provocations. It is these actions of the so-called “intransigent” that hinder an early ceasefire and conclusion of the military stage of the antiterrorist operation.

      Both Chambers of the Federal Assembly believe that the nature and scale of the antiterrorist operation have been proportionate to the threat coming from bandits entrenched in the Chechen Republic. At the beginning of the operation combatants numbered 25 000. They were armed not only with small arms, but also with sophisticated heavy weapons. This aspect was clarified in detail in paragraph 17 of the reply by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, I.S. Ivanov, to the inquiry of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, W. Schimmer, under Article 52 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms that was brought to the attention of PACE members during its January session.

      Mass media reports concerning alleged use in Chechnya of fuel-air mixture bombs and weapons systems prohibited by international conventions do not correspond to reality.

      The Minister for Defence of the Russian Federation and Commander of the Joint Federal Forces in the North Caucasus gave repeated orders to take all necessary steps to retain from causing harm or damage to the civil population, especially while conducting military operations in human settlements. Strikes have been delivered on targets identified by reconnaissance, including the use of modern technologies. Their results were thoroughly verified. The fiercest resistance was offered by terrorist groups in 10 settlements of the republic: in Grozny, in the villages of Komsomolskoye, Serzhen-Yurt, Duba-Yurt, Ulus-Kert, Itum-Kale, Alkhan-Yurt, Alkhan-Kala, Katyr-Yurt and in the settlement of Chernorechie, which have suffered serious damage in the course of their liberation. Unfortunately, victims among the civil population and destruction could not be totally excluded and avoided. The Federal Assembly and the Government of the Russian Federation intend to take measures to assist families who suffered in the course of the operation. At the same time, military force was not used during the liberation of about 80% of settlements, including four out of five towns.

      The Military Prosecutor’s Office supervises the compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law standards, regulating troops’ activities in the Chechen Republic. In February 2000 the Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office together with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the North Caucasus military district held a special seminar, focused on the application of military conflict law, including protection of the civil population, prisoners of war and the wounded. Military prosecutors supervising the enforcement of the law in the joint force in the North Caucasus participated in the seminar.

      Conscript soldiers and sergeants who serve within the joint military forces in North Caucasus constitute 61% of the total strength and those serving under contract 39%. As early as 1999, after the criticism voiced by Russian public opinion and parliament, the Russian Federation Defence Minister prohibited, by his order, the use of young conscripts (serving less than 6 months) in military operations in general, including, of course, in the Chechen Republic. Reports of individual cases of violation of this order obtained by non-governmental organisations, including the Union of Soldiers’ Mothers Committees of Russia and members of parliament are thoroughly investigated. The above-mentioned interfaction Group of the State Duma Members take part in this work.

      ii.       “To start immediately a political dialogue, without preconditions, with the elected Chechen authorities, with the objective of securing a complete ceasefire and achieving a comprehensive political solution to the conflict ...”Th

      The Russian leadership has repeatedly reiterated that a lasting comprehensive solution to the situation in Chechnya can be achieved only through political means. This issue will be addressed on a step-by-step basis, taking into account the interests of the population of Chechnya while preserving the territorial integrity and the constitutional order of the Russian Federation.

      An intensive dialogue, without any preconditions, with the trusted persons promoted by the local population for negotiations, is already under way. Interim administrations are being organised from among the local population to rehabilitate the life-support structures in the territories liberated from bandit groups. The heads of administrative districts of the Chechen Republic met with the acting President of the Russian Federation, V. Putin, in the Kremlin in March 2000. The Vice-Chairman of the Russian Federation Government, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian Federation Government, N. Koshman, Vice-Chairman of the Government, S. Shoigu, and Minister for the Federation and Nationalities Affairs, A. Blokhin, regularly meet with the authoritative representatives of the Chechen community, including the Muslim clergy.

      These actions are part of the preparatory process for the next stage of normalisation of the situation in Chechnya, that is, elections to the local authorities, and, subsequently, to the Parliament of the Chechen Republic. After the elections, according to the Federal Assembly, it will be necessary to hold negotiations with the newly elected leadership of Chechnya on the status of the republic within the Russian Federation. This will be the final stage in the peace process.

The Government of the Russian Federation, in its statement of October 1999, confirmed its readiness to negotiate with the interests in the Chechen Republic willing to observe the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Russia, prepared to condemn terrorism in all its manifestations, disarm the illegal units and hand over to the federal bodies persons responsible for committing acts of terrorism, kidnappings, and banditry. The leadership of the Chechen Republic in the person of Maskhadov failed to comply with any of these requirements.

      A. Maskhadov, who was in power in Chechnya in 1996-99, had an opportunity to take measures to crush terrorism, normalise the situation in the republic and start a dialogue with the federal bodies. Regrettably, he did not have the courage to dissociate from the terrorists and became their accomplice. Today we have reliable information regarding Maskhadov’s involvement in mass violations of human rights in the Chechen Republic and collaboration with bandit groups.

      The negotiations with the terrorists and bandits responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians and servicemen are impossible. Such a principled position is supported by the members of the Parliament of Russia and is in line with world practice. We can talk only about the elimination of the warlords, their capture or submission to bring them to justice.

      iii.       “To allow those wishing to leave Chechnya to do so in full security and dignity, regardless of their sex or age, and to ensure that they subsequently receive proper protection and support;”Du

During the entire period of the antiterrorist operation the Government of the Russian Federation has not adopted any resolutions, nor has it taken any actions of a discriminatory nature, which would restrict the right of the Chechens or representatives of other peoples living in the Chechen Republic to leave Chechnya and to freely choose any location for stay or residence in any other territory of Russia.

The controls at the checkpoints is adequate to the prevailing situation and is dictated by the reliable information about the attempts by terrorists to evade justice under the guise of refugees in the territories adjacent to the Chechen Republic or to flee to foreign states.

The order of the commanding officer of the checkpoint “Kavkaz-1” to prevent Chechen males aged from 10 to 60 years from crossing the border from Chechnya was revoked as illegal. The ban on the movement of vehicles and people through the checkpoints during the presidential elections in the Russian Federation was short term and was imposed exclusively by the necessity to ensure security because of the rebels’ threats to sabotage the elections in the Chechen Republic and in the neighbouring regions.

      As of 23 March 2000, the Federal Migration Service of Russia (FMS) has registered since September 1999 about 300 000 people who arrived from the Chechen Republic. In the Chechen Republic proper the FMS has registered 159 133 persons. At present the neighbouring republics and regions have received people from Chechnya as follows: the Republic of Ingushetia received 171 697 persons, of which 44 386 people have been accommodated at the temporary accommodation facilities and over 127 000 people have been hosted in private houses; the Republic of North Ossetia – Alanya – received 2 544 people, of which 50 persons have been accommodated in the temporary accommodation facilities; the Republic of Dagestan hosted 5 986 people, of which 210 persons have been accommodated in the temporary accommodation facilities. The Stavropolsky region has accommodated 2 977 persons.

Over 60 000 people left for other Subjects of the Russian Federation to stay at the centres of the FMS of Russia or with their relatives or friends. About 54 000 of the total number of registered displaced persons returned directly to the Chechen Republic.

Assistance to the displaced persons includes provision of temporary accommodation, bedding and food, as well as medical and sanitary services. 332.7 million rubles have been allocated for these purposes from the government reserve and the funds, of the Federal Migration Programme. 217.7 million rubles have already been transferred to the Republic of Ingushetia and 46.7 million rubles to the Chechen Republic.

With a view to obtaining full information about the affected civilians, the Federal Migration Service is developing a joint database of registrations in the territory of the Chechen Republic, the Republic of Ingushetia and other Subjects of the Russian Federation bordering on the Chechen Republic. That information will be used to determine the number of people willing to return to their homes and those willing to stay in the Republic of Ingushetia or other Subjects of the Russian Federation, and to determine the amount of funds necessary to repair (rehabilitate) houses, provide additional temporary accommodation facilities and pay social allowances.

At the same time, the Deputies who visited temporary accommodation facilities, consider it necessary to strengthen measures aimed at protecting the rights of the refugees. This concerns the speed of issuing the necessary documents, including passports, and the quality of dwellings, food and medical services. The government is sometimes late in reacting to the emerging situations. For example, no decision has been taken as to the method of compensation payments for the destroyed houses and the mechanism of pensions and social payments to the citizens staying at the temporary accommodation facilities has not been regulated to the full extent.

The Office of the Public Prosecutor and the internal affairs bodies exercise all possible control over order in the places where the refugees are accommodated. Twenty-four crimes were registered against citizens of the Chechen Republic who have temporarily left the places of their permanent residence and live now in the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia. Some of the crimes were prosecuted, the others are being investigated. Measures are being taken to find and apprehend the persons who committed them.

iv.       “To refrain from any forced repatriations to Chechnya.”Th

The Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the Federal Migration Service, the Special Representative of the President of human rights protection in the Chechen Republic have no factual knowledge of cases of forced repatriation to Chechnya. There is unconfirmed evidence as to the movement of railway cars with refugees to the station of Sernovodskaiya, situated at the Chechnya-Ingushetia border. This information is now being verified.

About 54 000 displaced persons have returned to the territory of the Chechen Republic since January 2000.

In the majority of cases, as members of the PACE delegation could witness, the complaints of the refugees are connected with delays in issuing permits for returning to the places of their permanent residence in the Chechen Republic. This in turn was caused by the necessity to ensure their security and prepare infrastructure for the return of people to Chechnya.

v.       “To respect strictly the fundamental human rights of the civilian population in the territories of Chechnya under its [Russia] control, in particular with regard to human rights violations and harassment by the military and police forces.”Th

      The aim of the antiterrorist operation by the federal forces is to restore law and order in the Chechen Republic, create conditions for the strict observance of human rights and to return the Chechen Republic from the zone of the application of the Sharia norms into the Russian legal space where, in particular, the European Convention on Human Rights is in force.

      The Department of the Office of the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation and the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic, created in February of this year, are operational on the spot in controlling the observance of laws in the territory of the Chechen Republic.

      The Institute of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on securing human rights and freedoms of citizens in the Chechen Republic was created to control the respect of human rights and to prevent their violations.

      Indeed, some violations of the law by the participants of the anti-terrorist operation were committed. The Office of the Prosecutor-General and the Office of the Chief Military Prosecutor are examining complaints of citizens, of Russian and international human rights organisations as to the crimes presumably committed by the military and the personnel of the law enforcement bodies.

      The criminal proceedings were instituted in connection with the murder of more than 20 inhabitants of the village of Aldy on 5 February 2000. At present the Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Grozny is conducting the investigation.

      Moreover, reports by the Human Rights Watch on the deaths of civilians in the Alhan-Jurt and Staropromyslosky districts in Grozny are being investigated.

      The Military Prosecutor’s Office in the territory of the Chechen Republic numbers more than 50 prosecuting/investigating officers. Since the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation, military prosecuting agencies have been investigating more than 300 criminal cases regarding verified facts of crimes committed by soldiers, including eight committed against the local population. At the moment three out of these cases have been dismissed, due to the amnesty or lack of corpus delicti. The investigation of the rest of the cases is continuing.

      Sometimes, forced and quite legal actions by law enforcement agencies, especially detention of persons suspected of being personally involved in activities of bandit groups or in other criminal activities, are misinterpreted as violations of human rights. Such persons are sent to the temporary detention centre in Chernokozovo. As of 24 March 84 persons were kept in Chernokozovo’s centre (all of them under Article 90 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation). Since its establishment, 905 persons were kept in it with 472 of them released after the identification procedure, eight were released due to the amnesty and 341 were conveyed to temporary detention centres of other Subjects of the Russian Federation.

      At present, restrictions on freedom of movement are in force in the Chechen Republic due to security reasons. Members of the Federal Assembly believe that difficulties in providing detained persons with legal assistance under existing legislation constitutes a serious problem. One of the reasons for such a situation is the need to ensure personal safety of lawyers in the Chechen Republic.

      We believe that respect for social rights of the population of the Chechen Republics is important. Two hundred and nine schools were reopened in the liberated areas,
6 531 teachers work and 77 000 children study. Forty-four hospitals were rehabilitated,
3 000 physicians work on a permanent basis. Payment of salaries, pensions and social allowances have been resumed. Six permanent and 11 mobile catering facilities function in Grozny providing hot food for nearly 23 000 people daily. Rehabilitation of electricity and gas supply systems, railway and roads and life support systems of human settlements is under way.

      The Commission on Social and Economic Stabilisation in the Chechen Republic has been established. It has prepared a draft programme of measures to ensure normal functioning of the economy and social sphere in the Chechen Republic which will be a part of a federal regional programme on the North Caucasus.

      The population of the Chechen Republic was provided with the possibility to have the right to participate in the election of the President of the Russian Federation on 26 March 2000.

      vi.       “To allow for the unhindered delivery of international humanitarian assistance and for the effective operation of international governmental and non-governmental humanitarian organisations in the region.”Ac

      According to information available to the Federal Assembly, there has not been a single case when foreign organisations were denied the right to provide humanitarian assistance. State humanitarian assistance is provided both from the federal budget and by the Subjects of the Federation. Significant assistance comes from the UN humanitarian agencies (UNHCR, WFP, Unicef and WHO), the International Red Cross Committee, and a number of foreign states. More than 20 international humanitarian and human rights NGOs are also active in the North Caucasus. Foreign states and organisations have delivered 11 000 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to the North Caucasus. On the whole, the Russian assistance amounts to 53.5% of the total volume, that of the international community 46.5%, and 80% of international assistance is contributed by the UN agencies. The Russian Federation covers all expenses related to the receipt, unloading, temporary storage and delivery of assistance to final recipients.

      The terms and conditions of providing international humanitarian assistance are regulated by the Russian legislation, in particular, by the Federal Law on Gratuitous Aid (Assistance) to the Russian Federation and amendments to individual legislative acts of the Russian Federation on taxation of payments to state extra-budgetary funds in connection with providing gratuitous aid (assistance) to the Russian Federation adopted by the parliament in May 1999. The legislation provides for regulatory procedures to streamline processing of foreign humanitarian assistance, and does not infringe upon the foreign donor’s rights regarding the nomenclature, amount and final recipients. Two aspects are being regulated. The Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Relief of Russia is recipient of foreign humanitarian assistance intended for the North Caucasus. The designated receiving centres for foreign humanitarian assistance are Vladikavkaz (primary) and Makhachkala (secondary). According to the UNHCR, the use of international assistance by the Russian side has proved effective. Efforts are being made at present to intensify international humanitarian activities in the territory of the Chechen Republic. Representatives of the Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Relief and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General signed, in March, the working memorandum on procedures governing humanitarian assistance in the region. The UNHCR has made humanitarian shipments to Grozny.

      vii.       “To ensure free access by Russian and international media to the region.”In

      In the opinion of the Federal Assembly, there are sufficient opportunities for media to visit the region and cover the developments there. This is evidenced, inter alia, by a large number of printed and TV reports from the Chechen Republic in the Russian and international media. The Federal Law on “fighting terrorism” represents a legal basis for the establishment procedures governing media activities. It was used to develop the rules of accreditation for media in the Anti-Terrorist Operation Area and the procedures for organising visits to the Chechen Republic, as well as media activities there. Under these rules, media representatives must obtain a special accreditation to carry out their duties in the operation zone and can move around only when accompanied and under protection.

      As of 22 March 2000, 875 Russian and international journalists obtained the necessary accreditation, with 460 representing international media and 415 representing Russian media. There were no cases where an accreditation was denied to a Russian or foreign journalist.

Over 550 international newsmen, some of them repeatedly, visited North Caucasus during the antiterrorist operation. Many international journalists are stationed in Mozdok and travel around the region together with the groups coming from Moscow. Russian and international journalists accompany Russian officials and foreign delegations visiting the Chechen Republic. The PACE delegation was accompanied by four foreign and two Russian journalists. In our view, precautions for journalists are commensurate to the situation in the region.

      The story of A. Babitsky, a correspondent of Radio Liberty, was widely echoed in the public opinion and in the State Duma. Actions of the authorities with respect to this journalist were criticised. Appropriate State Duma committees are closely following the developments, although one should admit that A. Babitsky did carry out some actions that are in violation of the law, such as the use of forged identity papers.

      Russia intends to continue co-operation with foreign media regardless of individual facts of violation of journalists ethics and distortion of information by some journalists. The fact that put-up jobs do take place can be supported by a recent scandal in connection with the disclosure of falsification of video coverage of events in Chechnya by a German private TV channel by its correspondent Mr F. Hoefling, dismissed from work by the management of the channel.

viii. “To discuss with competent international organisations, including the Council of Europe, the ways in which they can contribute to the political solution of the conflict.”

The political solution of the conflict in Chechnya is entirely an internal matter of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the Russian Federation stands ready for close co-operation with all international organisations with a view to ensuring the expeditious normalisation of the humanitarian situation in the region and the creation of conditions for the restoration of democratic institutions and full observance of human rights in the territory of the Chechen Republic.

      The situation in the North Caucasus region was addressed at the meeting of the heads of states-participants of the Commonwealth of Independent States. A draft programme had been prepared envisaging joint efforts aimed at combating terrorism and extremism. This programme will be considered at the meeting of the CIS heads of government.

      A number of visits of their high ranking representatives has been made to the North Caucasus region in order to develop co-operation with international organisations. Besides the present OSCE Chairman-in-Office, K. Vollebeck, and the PACE President,
Lord Russell-Johnston, P. Nilssen, member of the European Commission (February 2000), A. Gil-Robles, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner (February 2000), the delegation from the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (February-March 2000), a delegation of the PACE ad hoc committee headed by Lord Judd (March 2000), A. Missong, Head of the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya (March 2000), J. Studman, Director of the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (March 2000) visited the region. A visit by M. Robertson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is planned for early April.

An agreement has been reached on participation of three representatives of the Council of Europe as experts in the activities of the Office of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Securing Human Rights and Citizens’ Freedoms in the Chechen Republic.

Preparations for renewed work of the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya which left Chechnya because of security considerations are now under way.

In the view of the Federal Assembly, now when the military phase of the operation in Chechnya has been practically completed, assistance from international organisations in restoring democratic institutions in the Republic, training qualified judicial personnel, attorneys, public servants and local self-government officials would be most fruitful. With some international organisations, in particular, the Council of Europe, agreements in principle have been reached. The Federal Assembly Chambers hope that these agreements will be realised.

ix. “To initate a regional dialogue on the peaceful solution of the Chechen conflict, with the participation of representatives of Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and North Ossetia, as well as with competent international organisations, including the Council of Europe.”

Practical measures have been taken to establish a regional dialogue on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Chechnya involving representatives of all Subjects of the Federation of the North Caucasus region. The Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is active in this field and it has repeatedly discussed this problem at its sessions.

The acting President of the Russian Federation, Mr Vladimir Putin, met all the regional leaders of the North Caucasus in Krasnodar on 10 February 2000.

Representatives of the international organisations including the Council of Europe who visited the region, had a possibility to present their views on the ways to ensure democratic stability in the North Caucasus to the heads of the North Caucasus Republics, that is, Ingushetia, Dagestan, North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.

The timetable and basic parameters of two regional workshops on federalism (Pyatigorsk, 26-27 April) and on the role of democratic institutions in restoring democracy and ensuring human rights (29-30 May 2000) to be held under the auspices of the Council of Europe, have been agreed. Representatives of Chechyna, Dagestan, North Ossetia and other North Caucasus Republics and regions will take part in these fora.

x. “To guarantee the full application of a fundamental aspect of democracy, namely the entire and independent operation of the media.”

Freedom of the media of the Russian Federation is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Law of the Russian Federation on Mass Media. Provisions of these instruments are applicable to the Chechen Republic as a subject of the Russian Federation.

Coverage of the developments in North Caucasus by the Russian media expresses very different viewpoints, including extremely critical ones. Newspapers, TV and radio stations regularly provide information on the human rights situation and situation of the refugees. Information about servicemen killed during the antiterrorist operation is made public. Serious incidents involving deaths of civilians and cases of possible violations of human rights have been reported. The Russian media have a possibility to freely use materials of foreign journalists. There is no political censorship for covering events in the Chechen Republic. A considerable amount of information on the situation in the region is posted on the Internet.