RUSSIAN DELEGATION HEAD ROGOZIN: LORD JUDD'S VISITS TO CHECHNYA MUST BE STOPPED
STRASBOURG, January 28th, 2003. /from RIA Novosti correspondent Viktor Onuchko/.
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Lord Judd's visits to Chechnya must be stopped, Dmitry Rogozin, chairman
of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee and head of the Russian delegation
to PACE's session, believes. "As a reporter to the political commission
Judd is losing his authority in the eyes of Russia's public opinion and
official delegation," he said in his interview with RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
According to Rogozin, he made the announcement at a morning session of PACE's
political commission, which considered the text of PACE delegation head
Lord Judd's report, summing up his visit to the North Caucasus, and amendments
to it. The text expresses the Assembly's insistence to delay Chechnya's
referendum.
The grounds to postpone the referendum in Chechnya are ridiculous, Dmitry
Rogozin stressed. According to the official, it is impossible to agree with
Lord Judd's arguments that somebody might have had no time to read the text
of the constitution and that is why the referendum must be put off.
"If at Wednesday's voting on Chechnya they approve the recommendation, which we
will not certainly comply with, we shall break off cooperation with Lord
Judd as the reporter to the political commission and demand another reporter,"
Dmitry Rogozin said.
"If the incumbent reporter retains his office, we shall stop his visits
to Chechnya, which bring nothing except defamation of the real state of
things there," Dmitry Rogozin underlined.