EU splits hamper Chechnya aid

Mon, 19 Jan 2004Nicola Smith

EU aid to war-torn Chechnya is being hampered by its own inconsistentpolitical approach, a senior European Commission admitted on Monday.

Currently the EU – through it’s humanitarian aid office (ECHO) - is theonly international donor present in Chechnya, donating €25 million thisyear as part of a strategy to focus on “forgotten crises.”

But it’s humanitarian goals in the destitute northern Caucasus are notbeing matched by the strong political rhetoric necessary to put theminto practice.

“It’s no secret that Chechnya has disappeared formally from the agendaof dialogue with Russia,” ECHO Director Costanza Adinolfi told journalists.

Despite efforts to provide assistance to the most pressing needs of theChechen population, ECHO officials have been consistently blocked by the Russian authorities and face constant security problems.

And attempts by the European Commission to pressure the Russians for asolution are often scuppered by the mixed signals coming from the EU’s15 national governments.

“A political solution is needed,” said Adinolfi, but added “there is aproblem of consistency from the European side.”

Only last November, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sparked anembarrassing political furore when, in his role as president-in-officeof the EU, he fiercely defended Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s recordin Chechnya.

Adinolfi’s comments came on the same day the Irish EU Presidency satdown to talks with Russia’s deputy foreign minister in Dublin aboutdeveloping relations between the two blocs.

A Irish spokesman was unable to confirm if Chechnya was on Monday'sagenda but pointed out that Ireland did aim to raise the conflict in its general talks with Russia.

Many of the problems faced by ECHO in Chechnya draw parallels with thesituation in Zimbabwe.

Officials stress that while they can try to meet the most urgentcivilian needs, the causes of the humanitarian disasters in bothcountries must be tackled politically.

Commenting on EU sanctions against Zimbabwe, which must be renewed onFebruary 20, Adinolfi urged European leaders to get the right mix topressure the Mugabe regime without putting further burdens on theZimbabwean people.

“Sanctions are an instrument to be used with common sense andintelligently,” she said. “Very often the first victims are thecivilians but we still need this type of tool.”

(snip)

©2004 EUpolitix.com