Posted on 09/28/2001 6:25:30 PM PDT by TheOtherOne
Chechen Rebels Confirm They Have Contacted Russians About Possible Peace Talks
Published: Sep 28, 2001
MOSCOW (AP) - A Chechen rebel envoy confirmed Friday that he had contacted Russian officials about peace talks, and the Russians said they would push ahead with President Vladimir Putin's first serious peace offer in the 2-year-old war.
The careful steps toward talks came as clashed continued in the rebel region Friday underscoring the formidable obstacles to a settlement.
"We are ready for real dialogue and a peaceful solution to this conflict," said Akhmad Zakayev, a member of Chechnya's rebel government. Speaking on Russia's NTV television he said he had appointed by rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov to join negotiations.
Zakayev said he contacted aids to Putin envoy, Viktor Kazantsev, to set a time and place for talks.
Putin on Monday offered disarmament talks but said the rebels would have to accept his offer within three days. After the deadline expired late Thursday, Kazantsev said the rebels offered to open contacts.
Kremlin envoy, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, praised Zakayev on NTV as a "quite acceptable and sane" negotiating partner.
If disarmament goes ahead, local pro-Moscow officials would check the record of rebels who surrender arms, issuing pardons if there is no evidence they were involved in killings, kidnappings or other serious crimes, said Kazantsev spokesman, Valery Bunin.
Rebels continued to fire on Russian positions and blow up Russian armored vehicles, killing at least nine servicemen over the past 24 hours, said an official with the Kremlin-appointed civilian administration for Chechnya. He spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Russians also continued attacks, with artillery and helicopter gunships bombarding suspected rebel havens in Chechnya's southern mountains, the official said.
Maskhadov fought the Russians in a 1994-96 Chechnya war and played a key role in negotiating the withdrawal of Russian troops, though his authority has waned since and the rebel force is fractured.
Maskhadov released a statement Friday restating support for negotiations and insisting his force was not linked to terrorism, as the Russians claim.
But he admitted, without elaboration, that instability in Chechnya had "created a good base for the activities of extremist groups."
Putin has said some rebels in Chechnya are affiliated with Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind of Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States.
Until the recent offer, Putin had dismissed calls by Maskhadov and western nations for negotiations. He is thought to fear a repeat of the humiliating troop withdrawal of 1996, which resulted in de facto independence for Chechnya.
Russian troops returned three years later after Chechnya-based rebels invaded the neighboring region of Dagestan and were blamed for apartment bombings in Moscow that killed 300 people.
AP-ES-09-28-01 2102EDT
All countries have a Green light to fight their battles now. (except Israel, of course)
George W.Bush:The Peacemaker!
Our plan is to divide and conquer the Arab states that condone terrorism. That is another way of saying divide an conquer all of them.
Divide and conquer only works if you can first divide. If Israel comes in it will instantly unite the Arabs. Quick .. name one nation all Arabs hate? Do you find that hard to anwser?
Unite and conquer is a lot harder than Divide and conquer. Victorious nations try to avoid it.
You must be trying to make the case that Israel should make things worse and get lots of Jews killed. And you think you are Israels friends. Ask yourself what bin laden is praying tonight for Israel to do? You have more in common with Laden than you thought.
It's spilled milk now!
To bad for them that the Russkies give no quarter, and aren't particularly PC.
I believe that we are in a Jihad, called by Moslems across the world.
Putin immediately after hanging up the phone with bush, gave Checknya 72 hours to come to the peace table.
They agreed within hours.
Whatever Putin and Bush agreed to is terribe for the Muslim terrorists. It is obvious that Putin informed them of what Russia and the US plan to do if Chechnya does not fold.
Putin gave us the keys to some air bases and staging areas. We don't know what Bush gave Putin.
Bush said several times at a press conference after Putin and Bush talked that the COLD WAR IS OVER. Bush said Russia and the Untied states are acting together as friends. Bush said Russia has been subjected to terrorism, and we have been too. Bush said "We will work to gether to solve our common problem as friends should."
What ever assistance Bush offered Putin, the Checkens believe it to be decisive.
I too have done a 180 and look for Russia to become a member of NATO before long.
The Soviet Union is dead, China is making money selling to the West and the real enemy is radical Islam.
I have a feeling the KLA is out and Serbia is in.
All countries have a Green light to fight their battles now. (except Israel, of course)
Considering their initial sponsors, I'm not sure Israel was confected to fight its "own" battles in the first place. More like a hunk of chum around which once loner sharks might organize themselves into a feeding frenzy.
That said, what's changed since '67?
Chechen president Dudaev has urged the Islamic world to form an alliance against the West
Can you remember what thread it was several got into the Dudayev cell phone bit?
You think maybe he let the cat out of the bag prematurely?
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