Maskhadov was the generally elected president of Chechnya between the two Chechen wars.
"Individual Western countries, by giving via their mass media publicity to statements by leaders of illegal armed groups, indirectly help them and bear responsibility for the tragedy of the Chechen people," candidate Alu Alkhanov, the Chechen interior minister, told Interfax by telephone.
"The election for the president of the Chechen Republic will be carried through in strict conformity with the Chechen Constitution," he said.
"The first Chechen president, Akhmad Kadyrov, was elected via the free expression by the people of their will," Alkhanov said in reference to a pro-Russian leader who was assassinated in May 2004.
"Evidence of his influence is the fact that, for four days, hundreds of thousands of people living in Chechnya and other Russian regions came to express their condolences with the family of the deceased," the candidate said.
"The people have found out who is a traitor and who wishes peace, revival, and prosperity to Chechnya," he said.
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