Chechnya Conflict Russian
Russia
Many religious minority groups and NGOs complained of what they believed was collusion between the Russian Orthodox Church and the state. Neither the Constitution nor the 1997 law accords explicit privileges or advantages to "traditional religions;" however, many politicians and public figures argued for closer cooperation with them, above all with the Russian Orthodox Church's Moscow Patriarchate. Public statements by some government officials, including President Putin, and anecdotal evidence from religious minority groups, suggested that the Russian Orthodox Church increasingly enjoyed a status that approached official. The Church has entered into a number of agreements with government ministries giving it special access to institutions such as schools, hospitals, prisons, the police, the FSB, and the army. The Russian Orthodox Church appears to have had greater success reclaiming pre-revolutionary property than other groups, and many religious workers believed that the ... [Read More]
Assistance to Chechnya (Taken Question)
A: The U.S. Government supports Russia's territorial integrity and right to defend itself against terrorism. At the same time, we consistently press the Russian Government to end human rights abuses and to prosecute those found responsible. We remain committed to a cessation of violence by all parties and to finding a sustainable political solution to the conflict. The United States has contributed over $98 million dollars since fiscal year 2000 to meet the humanitarian needs of Chechens in Chechnya and the surrounding areas of the North Caucasus. We would welcome further constructive cooperation from Russia on resolving the tragic situation in Chechnya. ... [Read More]
Russia (05/05)
In late 1994, the Russian security forces launched a brutal operation in the Republic of Chechnya against rebels who were intent on separation from Russia. Along with their opponents, Russian forces committed numerous violations of human rights. The protracted conflict, which received close scrutiny in the Russian media, raised serious human rights and humanitarian concerns abroad as well as within Russia. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to institute a cease-fire, in August 1996 the Russian and Chechen authorities negotiated a settlement that resulted in a complete withdrawal of Russian troops and the holding of elections in January 1997. A peace treaty was concluded in May 1997. Following a number of terrorist incidents blamed on Chechen separatists, the Russian government launched a new military campaign into Chechnya. By spring 2000, federal forces claimed control over Chechen territory, but fighting continues as rebel fighters regularly ambush Russian forces in the region. Thr ... [Read More]
Russian Bombing of Georgia
The United States strongly supports Georgia's independence and territorial integrity, and has welcomed similar statements by the Russian Federation. Yesterday's attacks and their denial by the Russian Government, however, belie such Russian assurances and escalate existing tension between Russia and Georgia, just as cooperative arrangements for resolving regional security problems are emerging. In this context, we call again urgently for a political settlement to the conflict in Chechnya, which would contribute to stability in both Russia and Georgia, and advance our efforts to fight terrorism and establish peace in the Caucasus. ... [Read More]
U.S. Policy and the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe
Chechnya is a priority issue for us in the OSCE and in our bilateral relations with Russia, both with regard to human rights and the war on terrorism. The closure of the OSCE Chechnya Assistance Group at Russian insistence remains a matter of deep concern, not only because of the implications for human rights monitoring in Chechnya, but also because other OSCE participating states may be emboldened to seek the closure of OSCE missions in their countries. We will seek support in approaching the Russians on this issue again early in 2003. The object of our efforts will be two-fold: 1) to ensure independent human rights monitoring in Chechnya, and 2) to reinforce the importance of the OSCE as a regional organization. Although the OSCE has not played a role in brokering a political solution in Chechnya, the USG believes that the OSCE could contribute to efforts to consolidating any peace achieved by the parties. The Chechnya conflict’s danger of spreading led to an OSCE border-monitori ... [Read More]
(E) Eurasia Overview
Russian authorities continued to search for suspects in the four deadly apartment bombings that took place in August and September 1999. The trial of the six Dagestani men accused of conducting the bombing in Buinaksk, which killed 62 persons, began in December. There still are no suspects in custody for the bombings of two buildings in Moscow or a building in Volgodonsk. In November, Polish authorities arrested two Russian organized crime members, whom they suspect are connected to the August bombing in Moscow's Pushkin Square, which killed eight persons. ... [Read More]
2001
1111--04/04/01 Russian Entrepreneurs Learn in Greater Cincinnati Area: Community Connections at Work ... 1111--02/22/01 Russian Sales to Iran (Taken Question) ... 1111--08/31/01 Department of State Names New Galina Starovoitova Fellows on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Transcript: U.S. Ambassador to Moscow on Terrorist Attacks
AMB. VERSHBOW: Well, we've always recognized that part of the crisis that the Russians face in Chechnya is one that's related to international terrorism. The extremist forces in Chechnya do have external sources of support, including from groups in the Middle East and South Asia, and so there is a terrorist dimension to the Chechnya conflict, but I think we have to say that the Russian approach to solving that conflict in our view is leading them down the wrong path. A military approach is only making a bad situation worse and we continue to emphasize our view that their interests lie in finding a political solution to the Chechnya crisis, even as we both stand [sic] the terrorist groups that might be fueling that conflict. One more question? ... [Read More]
Russia
Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their GovernmentThe Constitution provides citizens with the right to change their Government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, generally free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. The Constitution establishes four branches of Government: The Presidency; the Federal Assembly made up of two houses (the State Duma and Federation Council); the Government and Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister; and the Judiciary. The Constitution gives predominance to the Presidency, and the President utilized his many powers to set national priorities and establish individual policies. After President Yeltsin's December 1999 resignation, Vladimir Putin assumed the post of acting President. In a March 2000 election, Putin was elected President. While some ... [Read More]
Department of State Names New Galina Starovoitova Fellows on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution
William Smirnov is the head of the Department of Political Science at the Institute of State and Law of the Moscow branch of the Russian Academy Sciences, and a professor of political science and public administration at the Russian Academy of Civil Service in Moscow. He holds a Candidate of Science degree in political science and public administration from the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Smirnov is the author of two books and more than a hundred academic publications on comparative politics, law, democracy and human rights. In 1998, he was appointed to the Human Rights Commission of the president of the Russian Federation, and in September 2000 he became the vice-chairman of the Commission. He has been actively involved in the resolution of conflict and the promotion of human rights in Chechnya. ... [Read More]
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