US views Maskhadov with "increasing skepticism" -- ambassador AFP September 9, 2002
The United States views separatist Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov with "increasing skepticism," the US ambassador to Russia said Monday, in a new message of support for the three-year Russian military operation in the war-torn republic.
Alexander Vershbow, during a round-table discussion in Moscow attended by Russian parliamentarians and top political analysts, argued that the two countries had developed an understanding of what makes up "terrorism" following the September 11 terror attacks.
Facing a skeptical group of Russian journalists as well as panel members, Vershbow was asked why Washington had failed to criticize Georgia's so-far futile military operation in its lawless Pankisi gorge, which is aimed at uprooting Chechen rebel bases. Georgia has developed into a strategic partner of the United States in the Caucasus to the consternation of some Moscow officials.
Vershbow replied that Washington was ready to give Georgia time to catch all the Chechen rebel suspects in Pankisi, in an operation that was launched last month.
"Russia has not been able to catch all the terrorists (in Chechnya)," Vershbow argued. "After all, it has not been able (to arrest) Mr. Maskhadov."
The comments hinted of the firmest indication from the US administration to date that Washington views the separatist Chechen administration -- once regarded as a group of freedom fighters by Washington -- as criminals.
Pressed on the subject by AFP, Vershbow backtracked from his earlier comments, noting that he did not want to slap a "label" on Maskhadov.
Yet he underlined that Maskhadov, elected president of Chechnya in 1997 a presidential election that were recognized by observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), was losing legitimacy in the United States.
"We view Mr. Maskhadov with increasing skepticism," the US ambassador said.
"He was clearly part of the group which launched an attack on Dagestan" in August 1999, an invasion into a neighboring Russian republic that helped prompt Moscow to launch its assault on Chechnya two months later.
Maskhadov has denied any involvement in those series of raids, which were led by the Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev.
But Vershbow on Monday suggested that Maskhadov and Basayev had recently struck a new alliance.
"We do not have any fondness for Mr. Mashkhadov," said Vershbow, "But we still view him as a factor (in Chechnya peace negotiations)," he added.
The US comments clashed with those of UN refugee chief Ruud Lubbers, who on a visit to Russia in January dismissed Moscow's view of Maskhadov as a terrorist, describing him as a "key person" in the search for a peace settlement.
The United States, along with several European nations, has in the past voiced its grave concern at the heavy-handed approach taken by the Russian military against the separatist movement in Chechnya.
Human rights observers fear that thousands of civilians may have been killed in Russia's initial bombardment assault on Chechnya.
Some 4,500 Russians have also died in the conflict so far, according to an official toll, although anti-war groups believe the actual toll may be three times higher.
Russian military officials estimate that 20,000 Chechen guerrillas have been killed in the fighting. The civilian toll has never been officially released.
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