Maskhadov’s death could lead to an escalation of the conflict in the Chechen Republic and spread the military actions, said Liubov Vinogradova (picture) from the Russian Research Center for Human Rights in Moscow. The Soldiers Mothers´ Committee hopes to continue negotiations once a new Chechen leader appears. (10-MAR-05)
According to the Russian army, the Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov was killed on 8 March.
– Maskhadov’s death complicated the opportunity for any fast peace settlement, the head of Soldier´s Mothers Committee Valentina Melnikova said.
Negotiation in London
Four activists from the Union of Soldiers’ Mothers Committee, led by Valentina Melnikova (picture), met with Chechen rebel Aslan Maskhadov’s envoy in London on 25 February to discuss how to stop the war in the Chechen Republic. After their return, the organisation was granted the George Elser award 2005 for their peace initiative.
– In present conditions we do not see the real subject for further negotiations yet. There will be a new commander in the Chechen Republic, but we do not know if they want to negotiate. But it is nessecary to continue, Melnikova said.
Melnikova underlines that it might take time before negotiations can continue, and that the situation now is likely to deteriorate:
– It is useless to speak about negotiations now. It is not clear what will happened in the future, but the situation will now worsen. Maskhadov is dead, war proceeds. The consequences can be new acts of terrorism sweeping across republics”, Melnikova declared.
Escalation of the conflict
Maskhadov had recently called for talks with Moscow on Chechen demands for independence, but the Kremlin insisted it will not “negotiate with terrorists”.
– Most of the representatives of the Russian human rights community share the opinion that Maskhadov’s death could lead to an escalation of the conflict in the Chechen Republic and spread the military actions, said Liubov Vinogradova, Director of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights in Moscow.
– Maschadov was not a terrorist, he tried to stop the war, to restrain the activities of the rebels, and he separated himself from the more radical leader Basaev and blamed him for violation, Vinogradova stated.
Photos: Maria Paramonova
