Chechen Round Table in Strasbourg

Around 50 participants expected to attend Chechen Round Table in Strasbourg

Following consultations, a Round Table for the organisation of an exchange of views involving political parties and local politicians from the Chechen Republic and the Russian federal authorities is to take place in Strasbourg on Monday 21 March 2005, organised by the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

A spectrum of around 50 invitees will include, among others, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Vladimir Lukin and President Putin’s Representative in the Southern Federal District Dmitry Kozak.

In accordance with the October 2004 PACE resolution which instructed the committee to organise the event, “persons who refuse to recognise the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and who declare terrorism a method to achieve their goals cannot participate in this exchange of views”.

Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), Chair of the ad hoc sub-committee set up to organise the Round Table, said its purpose was “to contribute to building a broader basis for the dialogue aiming at achieving a political solution in Chechnya”. The Vice-chair of the organising sub-committee is Konstantin Kosachev (Russia, EDG).

PACE Resolution 1402 (2004) on the political situation in the Chechen Republic: measures to increase democratic stability in accordance with Council of Europe standards: http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/AdoptedText/ta04/ERES1402.htm

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