Home

Up

Zakayev not allowed entering Schengen space 20.12.2004, 10.32 BRUSSELS, December 20 (Itar-Tass) - Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Karel de Gucht has said that Chechen separatist emissary Akhmed Zakayev is on the black list in the Schengen information system, and he is therefore not allowed to enter Belgium. In October, when Zakayev intended to enter Belgium for a meeting with a delegation from the Russian committee of Soldiers' mothers, Belgian authorities warned that he would be arrested and expelled to Britain where he enjoys the status of a political refugee. "The position of the Belgian government in this case reflects its concern about adherence to law and international obligations," Karel de Gucht said to ITAR-TASS ahead of his first to Russia. The Belgian minister said his country supported an international, multilateral approach to the struggle against terrorism and organized crime. As regards Belgium-Russian cooperation in fighting terrorism, its forms can be varied, the minister noted. "Terrorism and organized crime have become problems that are transnational in character in a broad sense of these words. Proceeding from this, a multilateral approach is needed to find an effective solution. This is why the (Zakayev) issue should be considered above all in a multinational framework, within which we must cooperate." "This approach enables us to take into account the entire set of aspects, which can help us cope with these adversities. Along with the law enforcement, police and military aspects, it includes social, economic, institutional and human rights spheres," the minister stressed. "A bilateral component has been added to this multilateral dimension. One example of this is the meeting of the head of the Russian Federation Council, Sergey Mironov, and the Chairman of the Belgian Senate Anne-Marie Lizin in Brussels in October for the purpose of consolidating inter-parliamentary cooperation in the struggle against terrorism. Chechenpress A. Zakayev: "I'm moving around freely in Europe" (Comment on the statement by the Belgian minister) London, 20 December. Ahmed Zakayev issued the following statement today: "I am surprised about today's interview of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mr. De Gucht, who stated that I'm forbidden to enter the countries of the Schengen Agreement. As late as in December, I visited two Schengen countries, Denmark and Norway, and did so with the knowledge of the authorities. During the past year I have been to the Schengen zone several times, including Germany and Belgium - also with the knowledge of the authorities - and there were no obstacles at all to my travel. It isn't for the first time that Mr. De Gucht issues statements about me which do not correspond to reality. As late as on 14 December, answering a question in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Belgian Parliament, Mr. De Gucht said that I never condemned terrorism, even after the Beslan tragedy. This doesn't correspond to reality. My condemnation of terrorism was widely illuminated in the European press. For Mr. De Gucht's information, today I sent to his office my article, published in the "International Herald Tribune" newspaper, with the title "We are not your enemies in the war against terrorism", as well as the reports of the news agencies about this subject. The reason for Mr. De Gucht's attempts to mislead the public is his desire to please the Kremlin on the eve of his visit to Moscow. For this very reason, Belgium prevented the peace talks in Brussels by refusing visas to the Russian Committee of Soldiers' Mothers. Mr. De Gucht knows perfectly well that he will not be able to prevent my visit to Belgium, and therefore he rejects to give visas to the group of mothers, and by doing so violates the spirit of the Helsinki Agreements. As far as the disinformation spread about me by the Belgian side is concerned, one can only regret that the Belgian government was ready to become a propaganda tool for Mr. Putin. Chechenpress, Department of Government Information, 20.12.04 http://chechenpress.com/news/2004/12/20/08.shtml [Translation by N.S.]