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Appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of FRG Joshka Fischer Dear Mr. Minister, the press circulated your statement made recently in Potsdam that "separation of the Chechen Republic from Russia is fraught with disastrous consequences for the entire world". Your statement in connection with this question is of significant importance all over the world, and if we do not answer it, it will mean that we completely agree to your opinion. I cannot but admit that it does not much differ from the position of the Kremlin that tries to represent the Chechen people's Resistance against the Russian aggression as a constituent of the international terrorist campaign, although it has nothing in common with the reality. In our opinion, the evaluation of the Chechen-Russian relations as a whole, without analysis of the underlying reasons, can be taken as striving for achievement of the results agreeable to the Kremlin. Dear Mr. Fischer! Do you know that Chechnya was colonized by Russian empire in 1850, and on the occasion of this victory the Russian Emperor Alexander II decorated his soldiers with a silver medal "For Conquest of Chechnya and Dagestan"? Do you know that after the collapse of the Russian empire – USSR in October of 1999 the Chechen people, like many other peoples of the former Soviet Union, restored their statehood, lost in 1921, not violating the legislature of the USSR, in accordance with the international law? Do you know that on 27 October 1991, the Chechen people elected their President and Parliament in the presence of the international observers, and on 12 March 1992, the Constitution of the sovereign and independent democratic state was adopted? Do you know that new state formation Russian Federation – Russia adopted it constitution only in December of 1993, i.e.19 months later than Chechen Republic? Do you know that the Kremlin has arbitrarily inserted Chechen Republic into its Constitution? Do you know that Chechen people have never taken part in referendums, elections and internal affairs of the Russian Federation? Do you know that the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (it would be rather correct to use this name) has never formed a part of the Russian Federation – Russia, which is a new state formation originated after the break-up of the Russian empire – USSR? Do you know that the right of the Chechen people to their statehood is recognized by the international law – Resolution N 1514 (XV) passed by the UN General Assembly on 14 December 1960 and other international documents? Do you know that Moscow committed aggression against the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in November of 1994, and was forced to abandon the territory of our country by 1 January of 1997, after its military and political defeat that was an accomplishment of the Chechen people and the entire international community? Do you know that on 27 January 1997 free elections of the President and Parliament of our country were held under the Constitution of the Chechen Republic adopted on 12 March 1992? The elections were scheduled under the patronage of the OSCE in the presence of the international observers from the majority of countries of the world. Do you know that after the elections the Kremlin imposed a total blockade on the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, hampering the restoration of national economy destroyed by war? Do you know that the West did not respond to the request of the Chechen republic of Ichkeria on raising the blockade on the part of the Russian federation – Russia? Do you know that Russian troops intruded into the territory of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria in July 1999 and are covering this action today as if it was a response measure taken against Basayev's raid in Dagestan carried out on 6 August 1999? Do you know that Russian forces rained down 16 thousand ton ammunition for two weeks of storm of Johar (Grozny) in the winter of 2000 only, bearing comparison with the level of using ammunition (17,6 thousand ton a week) rained down on the entire territory of Germany by Anglo-American aircraft in 1945. Do you know that out of 250 thousand killed citizens of Chechnya 42 thousand are children, above 200 thousand refugees are scattered all over the world, and their rights are not always protected, and your country is not an exception? Do you know that Chechen people and the leadership of our country consistently come out against any demonstration of terrorism and condemn all terrorist acts, without regard to who is the initiator of those actions? Do you know that the leaders of Chechnya are insisting on carrying out peace negotiations to settle the Chechen-Russian relations, considering that war is not a method of conflict resolution? Do you know that the leadership of Chechnya has advanced a sensible suggestion to set up an international tribunal on crimes committed against humanity to convict all the initiators of the Russian- Chechen war? Do you know that Russian party resolutely opposes the establishment of peace relations between our countries? Do you know the manifest of the French philosopher Andre Glukesman and film director Roman Couppele "The Horror Wanders about Europe", where there are the following words: Grozny razed to the ground – Complete impunity. The villages burnt down – Complete impunity. The injured knocked off – Complete impunity. The maimed bodies of the tortured – Complete impunity. The raped women and men – Complete impunity. The depressed people – Complete impunity. Silence of the entire world – Complete impunity. No audible condemnation. No diplomatic pressure. No economic sanctions. No legal persecution. Nothing… Mr. Fischer, judging by the chronology, the authorities of the Russian Federation was aiming for state terror against new independent states that we are witnessing now. And there is no need to assert that "separation of the Chechen Republic from Russia is fraught with disastrous consequences for the entire world". Simple logic of events makes it clear that our country has never been a constituent part of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the separation of Chechnya is out of the question, and the collapse of the RF – Russia is going on for some different reasons. Ahyad Idigov Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Relations, Plenipotentiary of the Parliament of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Abroad 18 September 2004 "DAYMOHK", 20.09.04.