Oslo Rejected Chechen Rebel's Plea to Mediate

23/10/2003 | The Moscow Times

Reuters OSLO, Norway --

Norway said Wednesday that it had turned down a request by Chechen guerrillas to try to broker a peaceful end to the Dubrovka theater siege, despite a past record of helping negotiate peace.

A Chechen rebel who had phone contact with the hostage-takers inside the theater sought Oslo's help just hours before special forces stormed the building.

"Given the circumstances there was no question of doing it," Norwegian Foreign Ministry spokesman Karsten Klepsvik said.

Ingvald Godal, leader of the Chechen Support Committee in Norway and a former Norwegian lawmaker, said the Chechen rebel called him in October 2002 to ask "if Norway could help negotiate since it has done it before."

He said he immediately called a senior official at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, who turned down the plea.

Norway brokered the now-derailed 1993 Oslo accord between Israel and the Palestinians and is trying to revive peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Godal criticized Oslo for turning down the Chechen request: "In theory, there could have been a peaceful solution. At least they could have tried."