From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 12/14/2005 2:18 PM
Defender of Islam?
By Elizabeth Swanson The Moscow News
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rush visit to Chechnya before flying eastward to Kuala Lumpur where he will attend the ASEAN Summit
 
Putin Surprises Chechnya With Hasty Visit

President Vladimir Putin baffled observers on Monday when he landed in his helicopter on a sudden visit to Grozny, Chechnya, to attend the volatile republic's first session of parliament since it was elected on Nov. 27. In an unexpected outburst, the president lauded Russia's role as a "protector" of Islam, blasting those who fought under the pretext of a religious war for giving a "perverted interpretation of the Koran and discrediting their religion."

Monday was not only Russia's official Constitution Day, but also marked 11 years since the start of the separatist conflict that the Kremlin says is over while fighting continues as rebel forces battle the republic's law enforcement. Still, despite heightened security at the Grozny building, the hour-long visit surprised many leading parliamentarians.

"I want to remind those who are on the other side, those who are apparently fighting for Islam, that the Russian Federation has always been a consistent, loyal, and steadfast protector of Islam, a world religion," Putin said, addressing the 58 deputies who crowded at a single table. "Destroying Russia, these people are destroying one of the main buttresses of the Islamic world."

Flanked by Chechen President Alu Alkhanov and acting Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov, Putin spoke forcefully and with visible anger in the televised speech. His mention of the deportation of thousands of Chechens during the reign of Josef Stalin was interrupted by applause from the deputies, but elicited bewilderment in the media, already startled by the unexpected landing. Putin also spoke about putting an end to the violations within the republic, saying that the new government "must find and punish those who break the law, regardless of who they are and what structures they represent." As Putin mentioned kidnappings, Kadyrov, who controls a feared local security force that some rights groups say is behind the kidnappings, visibly nodded.

Kadyrov told the Izvestia daily that he knew about the visit two days in advance, but that it was still a "personal holiday" for him, stressing the importance of Putin's message that Russia was a friend of Islam. The daily also quoted the chairman of the People's Assembly (the lower chamber of parliament) Dukvakh Abdurakhmanov as saying that he had once again been "convinced that for the leader of the government control over the situation in the republic is a cornerstone."

Putin left the session before the deputies were supposed to elect speakers of the two-chamber parliament, saying that it would be unethical to remain in the building. However, the Vremya Novostei daily cited reports that the speakers had already been chosen beforehand.

Officially, the visit was cut short because of Putin's departure for Kuala Lumpur three hours later, for the first East Asia Summit, where Russia signed a joint declaration with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?2005-48-5