French foreign minister: Referendum as first step towards political settlement in Chechny

2003-03-24

GENEVA, MARCH 24 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI'S BORIS TARASOV/ - The March 23 referendum in Chechnya is the first step towards political settlement in that war-torn republic, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said at a session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva Monday.

He called for the continuation of cooperation between international organizations and Russia, bearing in mind the challenges facing Russia in the North Caucasus.

It is our common duty to get nations out of the spiral of violence, primarily in the Middle East, said the French foreign minister.

Mr. de Villepin spoke out for an objective approach to human rights matters and against the use of double standards in this area, stressing that none of us should try to teach lessons to others.

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Comment: On the day of the referendum, according to Russian sources, 95.5 per cent of voters have approved the constitution, over 80 per cent of Chechnya's adult population took part in the referendum and two other laws, on electing a president and a parliament for the republic, were approved by 96 per cent of voters. In other words, after centuries of slaughters, torture, rapes, deportations and humiliations, an incredible 96 % of Chechens still wants to "stay Russian"!? Who is using double standards, Mr. Villepin? M.M.