Chavushoglu: PACE did not invite Zakaev to its session

Mevlut Chavushoglu, Head of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said that the Assembly did not invite Ahmed Zakaev, emissary of Chechen separatists, to its events.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 23 the Russian party demanded that the leaders of the Council of Europe hold an inquiry why Ahmed Zakaev was present at the session.

Making comments on Zakaev's appearance in the building of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Mr Chavushoglu said that "it had nothing to do with the Assembly."

Mevlut Chavushoglu has noted that he understands "the concern of the Russian party on this issue," and emphasized that the PACE had not invited Zakaev to its session," the RIA "Novosti" reports.

"I don't know him; I've never known him before. No commission and no commission head had invited him; I don't know how he got here. I know that someone did it personally," the "Gazeta.Ru" quotes the head of the PACE.

He also refuted the rumours that the relations of the Russian delegation with the PACE got spoilt. "Now, we have normal relations," Mr Chavushoglu said.

Let us remind you that on June 22 the PACE approved, at its session in Strasbourg, the draft resolution "Legal remedies in case of human rights violations in North-Caucasian region", prepared by the special rapporteur of the PACE Dick Marti on the outcomes of his trip to Northern Caucasus in March 2010. Zakaev was present at the discussion of the report and took part in exchanging opinions on the situation in Northern Caucasus with Russian human rights activists. His appearance in the Palace of the Council of Europe caused indignation of the members of the Russian delegation.

The pass bureau of the PACE told the representatives of the Russian party that no visitors with surname of Zakaev were registered.

Ahmed Zakaev, who is in international search, appeared in the Council of Europe in 2007, also without any official accreditation.

The Russian Prosecutor's Office accuses Zakaev of organizing illegal armed formations, armed mutiny, participation in terror act in Dubrovka in Moscow and kindling interethnic enmity. In January 2010, the FSB of Russia put forward new charges against him - of an attempt to create the "Armed Forces of Ichkeria", but Zakaev rejected these charges.