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Danish Prime Minister calls Chechens a "gang of fanatic criminals" The main evening news of the Danish public service TV station "DR1" gave an interesting glance at the political behind the stage maneuvering around the World Chechen Congress in Copenhagen (WCCC) only two days later after the Dubrovka theater siege on October 2002. The setting is the home trip of the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and other Danish politicians after the EU summit in Brussels in October 2002 (held after Dubrovka but before the WCCC). It is quite normal for Danish journalists as M. Ulveman to follow politicians during every moment of their trips also in the airplane. The following conversation is cited in Ulveman's book "I spidsen for Europa" (At the peak of Europe), which analyses the period of the Danish presidency of the EU. Under all circumstances, one ought to note the way in which Anders Fogh Rasmussen describes the Chechen people and their cause. It also showed that actually who took care that the Danish constitution wasn't violated, so the perfectly legal conference could be held, was Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller. Here is a transcript
of one important passage. Translation and comments in [brackets] by
N.S.: DR1: "The Sunday Magazine", 26.10.03 (...) (Speaker:) "Fogh was happy, but there's something he doesn't know. EU's common condemnation of the hostage affair in Moscow isn't enough for President Putin. He wants the Chechen World Congress in Copenhagen, to be held 2 weeks later [a mistake, it was 2 days later], cancelled. Per Stig [Møller] already knew this before they were flying home to Copenhagen." (Quote from an interview with journalist M. Ulveman:) "During the summit in Brussels, the prime minister's department chief writes a short note to the foreign minister, in which he proposes simply to cancel that World Congress, and the foreign minister writes him back: 'But this is impossible, because you simply can't do it, according to the [Danish] constitution'". (Speaker:) "Everything was ready for a relaxed home trip in the plane. Anders Fogh makes himself comfortable in the plane, when his official says: 'We have a problem we need to discuss'." (Ulveman:) "He (Fogh) comes with a strong, passionate assault on the Chechens, whom he calls 'a gang of criminals' and 'a people that doesn't have any legitimate claim to independence', and then he turns in his seat and looks at Per Stig Møller, and then he says: 'But those are your friends, aren't they, Per'". (Speaker:) "Anders Fogh refers to the fact that Per Stig has been speaking warmly for the Chechen cause during the 90-s. The air in the plane cabin is heavy from the humiliation." (...) Other information
(through a personal message) reveal that Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen
called Chechens also "fanatic criminals". |