Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Official Statement 29/07/2003


WE URGE ITALIAN PREMIER SILVIO BERLUSCONI, ARRIVING TODAY TO MOSCOW IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, TO CONVINCE PRESIDENT PUTIN TO COMMENCE A GENUINE RUSSIAN-CHECHEN DIALOGUE.

Press release

The Chechen proposal of "conditional independence under an international administration" is undoubtedly the best way to peace and democracy in Chechnya. Implementation of this proposal will end the state of terror and the climate of impunity in Chechnya. It will also bring peace and security to Russia. The proposal provides the only formula that can truly work for both the Chechen and Russian peoples.

The international community should end its unjustifiable silence and help Chechnya and Russia to implement the proposal.

We therefore urge Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, arriving today to Moscow in his capacity as the President of the European Union, to convince President Putin to commence a genuine Russian-Chechen dialogue on the basis of the proposal.

Press Office

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30 July 2003

Italian PM calls for closer security cooperation between Russia and EU


The Italian Prime Minister has called for closer security cooperation between Russia and the European Union. At the Kremlin meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, the Italian premier, holding the rotating chair in the EU now, recalled that he had spoken about the need to give an impetus to trade, economic and humanitarian relations with Russia at the latest EU summit in Thessaloniki, Greece.

"I received a mandate to work on proposals made at the summit," Berlusconi said. "Anyway, I'd like to convey European politicians' congratulations on higher economic growth rates in Russia," the Italian premier said. He mentioned that George Bush had spoken highly of President Putin during his stay at the US President's ranch in Texas. The Russian President recalled that he would meet with the US leader in September.

// RIA-Novosti//

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Comment: Poor Akhmadov, he evidently doesn't understand who Berlusconi really is. Berlusconi probably even doesn't know about his appeal, not to say that he will ever read it. From an excerpt of an ANSA press release (2003-07-29 / 16-42-00):

<<After having forwarded Bush's appreciations to Putin, Berlusconi proposed again the idea of a 'great Europe'. "We are convinced" - he said - "that Russia wants to become part of the West and that it has definitively chosen to do so." He moreover invited Putin to visit Rome in November.

Berlusconi is not only a man full of ego and falsehood, but simply doesn't understand a goddamn thing about foreign policy. What kind of chances there are that Berlusconi's EU presidency will make some steps towards a "genuine Russian-Chechen dialog" I already outlined here. M.M.