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EU mission condemns

war crimes in

Chechnya

GROZNY: A delegation from the Council of Europe has accused both sides in the Chechen conflict of committing war crimes, and has urged Russia to keep its promises to tackle human rights abuses.

The head of the delegation, Lord Frank Judd, said he and other members of the European mission had been "deeply disturbed" by what they had seen.

"Eyewitnesses gave accounts of arbitrary killings and harassment by Russian forces" he said in a statement.

Referring to the destruction of the Chechen capital, Grozny, he said it was beyond belief that at the start of the 21st Century, a European town could be systematically destroyed by the armed forces of its own government. We will not tolerate any diktat, but we are ready for compromise.

Lord Judd said the Kremlin had so far done little to tackle human rights abuses in Chechnya, despite its promises. In January, the Council of Europe came close to suspending Russia's voting rights.

Instead it agreed to return to the issue next month, insisting that in the meantime Moscow must investigate reports of atrocities and human rights abuses by its troops and make significant efforts to reduce losses among Chechen civilians.

"All of the requirements of the assembly remain on the table," Judd said.

Russia's human rights official for Chechnya, Viktor Kalamanov, said that Moscow would not accept a European "diktat".

"We will not tolerate any diktat, but we are ready for compromise," he said.

"Even raising the possibility of exclusion (from the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly) is insulting towards Russia".

He also called on Russia to open talks immediately with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, but Moscow's main Chechnya spokesman, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, said there could be no talks with the leader of an armed revolt.

The nine-member delegation spent two days in Chechnya following reports by human rights organisations that Russian troops had tortured and executed Chechens. In its statement, it called for an immediate cease-fire.

Russia has taken control of almost all of Chechnya since its forces crossed into the republic on October 1.

They have nonetheless suffered heavy losses over the last two week as they have attempted to destroy the last groups of guerrillas in one of many deep and winding gorges in Chechnya's southern mountains.ÑPPI