PACE RESOLUTION GIVES HOPE
15.02.2006 - 00:52:53

Usman Ferzauli: "We are far from euphoria, but the Resolution of PACE gives hope..."

Interview, led by the employee of Chechenpress Sajhan Umarov
with the head of Ministries of Foreign Affairs of CHRI Usman Ferzauli.

Usman, tell, please, with what specific goals did you go to Strasbourg...

As it is known, these days in Parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe, according to beforehand authorized agenda, the questions connected to the situation in the Chechen Republic were discussed, and the Resolution on these questions was prepared. Preliminary having coordinated with the head of Government block of foreign policy of CHRI Akhmed Zakaev the position of the Chechen authority in connection with these questions, I went to Strasbourg to carry this position up to the representatives of Parliamentary assembly.

Whom have you met, and what has been discussed at these meetings?

I have met many figures, particularly, the special lecturer of PACE on Chechen Republic Andess Gross, as well as the representative of PACE Committee on legal issues and the repeated lecturer about human rights in Chechen Republic Rudolph Bindig. At these meetings, I have put at disposal of Parliamentary assembly the facts of the proceeding genocide in the Chechen Republic and told about what position on a problem of the peace sanction of the Russian - Chechen confrontation the authority of CHRI adheres.

Tell, please, what are on this account the offers of the Chechen side?

These positions if to state them in thesis form, ascertain the obvious facts, namely: despite the huge victims and destructions and mutual exasperation of the sides, the confrontation between the Russian Federation and CHRI has no prospects of the military decision. If from propaganda declarations to address to a reality, the Russian - Chechen war not only has did not stopped, but promptly extends on all region of Northern Caucasus, it is more and more turning in the Russian - Caucasian war. In these conditions, the unique reasonable decision for both sides of the conflict is the initiation of peace political process. As for the Chechen side we do not see any absolute obstacles in it. Moreover, we think, that in the Russian - Chechen relations there are no problems on which it would be impossible to achieve reasonable, mutually acceptable decisions. Our position is such.

And how far does PACE share this position?

Except for the Russian delegation, this position is shared by the majority of representatives of Parliamentary assembly. And not only in private conversations, but also at an official level. The proof to that became the Resolution accepted yesterday on the basis of report made by Rudolph Binding the resolution of PACE in which unequivocally was stated the opinion that only the political process realized in direct negotiations between the sides of the conflict, can bring the peace in the Russian - Chechen mutual relation and as a whole in Caucasus.

Huge work in clarification of our position was done also by representatives of our Parliament, particularly, its chairman Lema Saraljapov, Ahjad Idigov, Selim Beshaev and others. It is necessary to note, that recently it has sharply increased the "competitive spirit" of our Parliament, its legal and political competence impresses very greatly. In interaction of legislative and executive branches of CHRI authority is achieved the full unification. On behalf of Chechen people and authority of CHRI we have together thanked Rudolph Binding for objectivity of his report and for that energy from which he during the set of years is standing up for the business of achievement of the peace on our distressful ground.

During six years of this war PACE accepted many resolutions about the Chechen Republic. Did you consider, that last Resolution could set afoot from "dead point" the problem of achievement of the peace between the Russian Federation and CHRI?

To make political forecasts is the business ungrateful because the policy in itself - extremely unstable "element" on which, the set of tactical circumstances influences and to predict beforehand is very difficultly. And life has learned us not to run into euphoria from those or other political declarations. However, in last Resolution of PACE it is found something different that did not exist earlier: very rigid and impartial criticism of ministers of the Council of Europe Committee on which depends the realization of resolutions accepted by PACE and political demonstrations including about the situation in the Chechen Republic.