Presidential aide rules out talks with new Chechen envoy
Sergei Yastrzhembskii told NTV on 14 February
that Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov's election in January 1997 was not
legitimate and that therefore Moscow sees no reason to hold talks with
Maskhadov's newly appointed envoy, Salambek Maigov, Russian news agencies
reported. Yastrzhembskii did not explain why in late 2001 Russian presidential
envoy to the Southern Federal District Viktor Kazantsev met with another
Maskhadov envoy, Akhmed Zakaev (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 November
2001). Yastrzhembskii also denied that the idea of the 23 March referendum
of a new draft Chechen constitution and election legislation originated
with the Russian leadership. He argued that the referendum will contribute
to stabilizing the situation in Chechnya and hence to the withdrawal of
some Russian troops and a reduction in the number of search operations.
He claimed that support within Chechnya for the referendum is increasing.
Also on 14 February, Chechen administration head Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov issued
a statement questioning how Maigov was able to convene a press conference
in Moscow just three months after the theater hostage taking by Chechen
radicals, Interfax reported. LF
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