В.Путин.Вступительное слово.10.11.02.Part 1

Opening Remarks at a Meeting with Representatives of the Chechen Public.Part 1
November 10, 2002
The Kremlin, Moscow

Вступительное слово на встрече с представителями чеченской общественности
10 ноября 2002 года
Москва, Кремль

VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon,

Allow me first of all to say a few words before we move on to the questions you think expedient to discuss. Two days ago a large group of representatives of the Chechen public launched an appeal to the Chechen people. Much in that appeal is absolutely consonant with my own position and the position of the Russian leadership.

Your initiative is timely, as I was saying today at a meeting with the Government leaders. Only recently I thought that perhaps there was no hurry and that we should take time to prepare. But if you yourselves feel that the time has come to step up these processes, I go along with you.

I agree with you that the terrorist act in Moscow was aimed above all to aggravate the situation in Chechnya. The terrorists are afraid that important, I would say, systemic changes have started taking place in Chechen society.

People there have come to believe in the process of return to normal, peaceful, human life. Hospitals, clinics and kindergartens have reopened. After many years Chechen children go to school again. Higher education institutions are working and there is growing competition for admission, which was unthinkable only a short while ago.

This year the Republic has brought in a record grain harvest, an all time record, including the Soviet period. Industrial enterprises are being restored and restarted. In the law enforcement sphere the Chechen police have been assuming an ever-larger share of the functions and real work on the ground. I would like to tell you that the Interior Minister of the Russian Federation today signed an order creating an Interior Ministry of the Chechen Republic.

The ongoing constitutional process in Chechnya poses a particular threat to terrorists and their accomplices. A possible political normalisation strikes the ground from under their feet. They are unhappy that the people of the Republic are consistently moving to restore full-fledged legitimate power.

You are absolutely right that this political process is the key to breaking out the vicious circle of meaningless and disastrous bloodshed.

Responding to your initiative I stress once again that the federal authorities are ready to engage in this political process together with you.

Not surprisingly, in this context the terrorists and their accomplices including those abroad have to fiddle with concepts. Instead of the already ongoing political process in Chechnya they are trying to foist on us some dubious negotiators. Those who only recently staged public executions in squares, engaged in slave trade, took hostages, murdered Russian and foreign journalists in short imposed medievalism in Chechnya and compromised the Chechen people. What is it that these bandits resist today? Civilised laws of life? Whom are their foreign accomplices supporting? And with whom are they calling us to establish contacts and dialogue?

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