Apr 26 2005 5:27PM Duma deputy surprised by PACE member's remark on Zakayev
STRASBOURG. April 26 (Interfax) - The head of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the chairman of the Russian State Duma international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, said he was astounded by a statement by PACE member Andreas Gross that Chechen separatist emissary Akhmed Zakayev might take part in a roundtable discussion on Chechnya, which should be convened by the end of 2005.
"Zakayev is a person wanted by Russia on suspicion of involvement in terrorist attacks, and our country has raised the issue of his extradition. If Zakayev proves that he is not involved in terrorist attacks and confirms that he is willing to take part in the settlement process in the Chechen Republic following the Russian law and the Chechen constitution, he would certainly be able to participate in the discussion on this problem," Kosachyov said.
The Russian parliamentarian said he was "extremely surprised" by Gross's statement and contacted him to clarify his words. "Mr. Gross assured me that one of the Russian media outlets did not report his words very accurately. He said that he purely hypothetically had not ruled out the possibility of Zakayev's participation in the negotiating process on a settlement in Chechnya in the distant future," he said.
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