MOSCOW, DEC 26: Moscow authorities have put the city on high security alert ahead of the New Year’s festivities, in view of the planned terrorist acts by the leaders of the rebel groups in the separatist Chechnya.The presence of OMON, the special riot police, has been increased in all public places including, government buildings, metro stations, bridges, the Moscow police said.
The increased security regime came into force today, as the Kremlin denied that political negotiations were underway with the Chechen warlords. President Vladimir Putin’s special aide on Chechnya, Sergei Yastrzhembsky said on Friday that no negotiations will be conducted with the Chechen rebels unless they surrender.
He was commenting on the Sunday’s agreement in Nazran, the capital of neighbouring Ingushetia, between a group of Duma deputies, headed by Boris Nemtsov, leader of the Union of Right Forces and representatives of the 1997 Chechen parliament, including an emissary of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.
‘‘They didn’t have any mandate from the federal centre to hold the negotiations,’’ Yastrzhembsky said.‘‘ Naturally, within their competence Duma deputies can have meetings and discuss the situation in the Chechen republic, in particular, with the people who can influence irreconciliable ringleaders, but this influence should be targeted at getting the ringleaders to surrender,’’ the Kremlin aide underlined.
He made it clear that the Kremlin will not support any negotiations that may lead to a new Khasavyurt, and there won’t be any new Khasavyurt. The abortive Khasavyurt peace accord was signed in 1996 by the then Russian Security Council Alexander Lebed and Maskhadov.
Nemtsov said on Monday that he planned to meet Putin sometime during the week, to apprise the President of the agreement with the Chechens. He added that the Duma group of deputies signed a ‘‘very important five-point protocol,’’ whose implementation could ‘‘mark the beginning of a political settlement in Chechnya.’’
‘‘The agreement makes clear that a military solution can’t resolve the Chechen problem and that negotiations must immediately begin,’’ Nemtsov said. He added that both sides agreed that ‘‘terrorism and religious extremism must be uprooted and law and order restored in the Chechen republic.’’
Meanwhile, Chechen warlords are trying to unite their efforts to carry out subversive activities and terrorists acts, during New Year’s celebrations, Interfax news agency reported. The warlords, including Basayev, Maskhadov, Gelayev and Khattab, have recently had a meeting in the populated area of Karabulak, to conduct a series of deadly subversive activities, the agency said quoting the headquarters of the combined Russian forces in the Northern Caucasus.
‘‘The warlords have told their subordinates to destroy federal planes and helicopters,’’ the headquarters said. According to information, the military has, for every destroyed plane the warlords promise to pay $50,000, and for every helicopter, $10,000.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
