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19 December 2003 [BBC Monitoring] Chechen web site confirms rebel minister seeking political asylum in USA 18 December: The Foreign Ministry of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria [CRI] has issued a press release in connection with reports saying that CRI Foreign Minister Ilyas Akhmadov could be granted political asylum in the USA. The press release reads: "Ilyas Akhmadov continues to fulfil the functions and tasks placed on him by the president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Aslan Maskhadov. "The Foreign Ministry of the CRI confirms that CRI Foreign Minister Ilyas Akhmadov has been forced to appeal to the United States authorities for political asylum. "This act by Mr Ilyas Akhmadov is a direct consequence of the criminal actions of the government of the Russian Federation which has issued an arrest warrant for Mr Akhmadov through the Russian division of Interpol on fabricated charges of 'organizing the August 1999 invasion of Dagestan', calling for 'a war against infidels', 'having links with international terrorist organizations', 'rendering material and technical assistance to bandit formations' and other nonsense. "It is absolutely clear that these criminal actions by the government of the Russian Federation are a deliberate attempt to discredit the activities of the foreign minister of the CRI who draws up and carries out the foreign policy of the CRI. Despite these obstacles, Ilyas Akhmadov remains the foreign minister of the CRI and continues to fulfil the functions and tasks place on him by President Maskhadov." Russian foreign ministry hopes for US to decide on Ilyas Akhmadov case minding Russia's attitude MOSCOW, DECEMBER 19. /RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENTS SERGEI ZELENTSOV, CHRISTINA RODRIGUEZ/ -- The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the United States will take a decision on the case of what is called the "foreign minister" of Chechnya Ilyas Akhmadov minding the position of Russia, official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko told journalists in Moscow on Friday. He was commenting on the publications and statements appearing in the United States on the possibility of granting Akhmadov political asylum in that country. Alexander Yakovenko said that Moscow has noted the publications and statements by certain legislators and non-governmental organisations appearing in the American mass media as actually calling for granting Akhmadov the political-refugee status. "The American side knows our attitude to this henchman of terrorists*", said the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry. On December 18, 2003 the "foreign minister" of Chechnya Ilyas Akhmadov once again asked the American authorities for political asylum. Adam Ereli, official spokesman for the United States Department of State, has confirmed this information on Friday. The Russian law-enforcement agencies have proofs of Ilyas Akhmadov's contacts with Aslan Maskhadov, President of the self- proclaimed "Republic of Ichkeria", and Shamil Basayev, chief of the Chechen bandit formations. The latter is on international search. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.lenta.ru/vojna/2003/12/19/akhmadov/ (tr. of excerpt by M.L.) * 21st of Dec. 2002, the Dagestan prosecutorship asked for the arrest of Akhmadov: he's been accused of preparation and organization of the incursion on Dagestan in Sep. 1999. 23rd of August, the Moscow Interpol Bureau put Akhmadov on the international wanted list.
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