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Major worries about growing tensions in the Caucasus

Interview with Christa Lörcher: a Council of Europe delegation has held discussions in Moscow, Tbilisi and the Pankisi valley on the subject of the disputes between Russia and Georgia over the war in Chechnya and the fight against terrorism

Interview (05.11.2002)

Question : Following the hostage-taking drama in Moscow, your delegation’s visit suddenly became more explosive. What effect did this event have on your contacts?

Christa Lörcher : Obviously, all our discussions centred on the hostage taking and on the combating of terrorism. It was made quite clear to us by the Russians that the Chechens only understood one language - that of harsh treatment and vigorous action with no concessions. It was emphasised, even by the Georgians, that international co-operation against terrorism needed to be stepped up. The thing that frightened me personally was the use on several occasions by a few of the people to whom we spoke of the concept of “physical elimination”, of “neutralisation” of the Chechen rebels. It is evilly brutal to use such terms about human beings. It goes against the principles of the Council of Europe.

Question : So a peaceful resolution of the Chechnya conflict is further away than ever?

Christa Lörcher : It is too early to be certain. What is clear, however, is that a political solution is necessary. At all events, in the current situation in Moscow, we were given no such signals. The call for harsh treatment was predominant. Particularly disturbing was the way in which Dimitri Rogozin, who chairs the Duma foreign affairs committee, attributed some of the blame for the hostage taking on Georgia, saying that the Georgians had failed to hand over all the Chechens detained in the Pankisi valley. But this is an issue which, in my view, needs to be clarified through proceedings based on the rule of law.

Question : Do Russia’s massive reactions to the hostage taking give rise to fears of the war in Chechnya increasingly spilling over into the whole of the Caucasus region, and thus also spreading to Georgia?

Christa Lörcher : That remains to be seen. In any case, there are great fears in Georgia that the fight against terrorism might also affect that country. Russia has, for instance, announced that it is to reinforce those military bases it still has in Georgia. That contravenes the agreements on the withdrawal of Russian troops. Against this backcloth, Georgian politicians are reassured about the presence in their country of US military advisers.

Question : What has your delegation achieved through its visit?

Christa Lörcher : We were able to note one positive development, at least. The people in the Pankisi valley feel safer now than they did a few weeks ago. Clearly, this represents a success for the action against crime taken by the police. This has also resulted in a decrease from about 700 to 70 or so in the numbers of the Chechen rebels who had managed to reach this part of Georgia and are now hiding in the mountains. The Russians dispute that this improvement has occurred in the situation in the Pankisi valley. The border between Georgia and Chechnya is monitored by 300 Georgians, 3 000 Russians and four OSCE observation posts. Intensive checks are lacking between Georgia and Dagestan, however, so it is very easy for Chechens to cross this border. This is why it would be sensible to expand the OSCE activity, but that would cost money.