NEWS RELEASES

November 26, 1999 (2:00 p.m. EST) No. 257

AXWORTHY SUPPORTS OSCE MISSION TO MOSCOW ON CHECHNYA

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today expressed support for the November 29 mission to Moscow being undertaken by Knut Vollebaek, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office and Norwegian Foreign Minister, for the purpose of discussing Chechnya. Minister Vollebaek will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to discuss humanitarian and political approaches to resolving the current conflict.

"It is very important that Russia open the door to closer co-operation with the OSCE on ending the conflict in Chechnya," said Mr. Axworthy. "It was agreed at the Istanbul Summit that a political solution was essential, and that the OSCE could contribute to achieving this goal."

The Chairman-in-Office's visit to Moscow represents one of the commitments for action on Chechnya contained in the OSCE's Istanbul Summit Declaration. Mr. Vollebaek is expected to visit the North Caucasus region on a subsequent trip to Russia.

"Political dialogue on Chechnya has to include President Maskhadov, whose election was monitored by the OSCE with the consent of the Russian government," said Mr. Axworthy. "The Chairman-in-Office and the OSCE Assistance Group also need full access to the region, including Chechnya, to meet the commitments made at Istanbul."

The Minister welcomed Mr. Vollebaek's visit as an opportunity to reinforce the presence of humanitarian organizations in the region, and expressed the hope that the Chairman-in-Office would be able to achieve a promise of full and unfettered humanitarian access from the Russian authorities. Mr. Axworthy had raised this issue forcefully at the OSCE meetings in Istanbul, as well as in his bilateral meeting with Mr. Ivanov. UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and others are seeking to establish distribution networks that are autonomous of state control, as they do in conflict zones the world over.

Minister Axworthy also called on Russia to facilitate an early visit by the Chairman-in-Office to the North Caucasus region, including Chechnya.

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