Arbur promises to draw attention of the United Nations to problems of Northern Caucasus

"Decrease of intensity of disappearances is a result of decrease of the intensity of the conflict in Chechnya," Louise Arbur, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on February 22 after her meeting with Dmitry Kozak, plenipotentiary representative of the RF President in South Federal District (SFD), at a press conference in the city of Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol Territory, the correspondent of the IA REGNUM reports.

According to her story, the law enforcement bodies are often reproached of using wrongful methods, including tortures. "I don't have particular solutions to these problems, but there are examples that allow making progress," the UN High Commissioner said. These problems can hardly be solved without external help."

"I've found a sincere readiness to be engaged in solving the problems that I raised. And I am absolutely sure that we can look forward with optimism and expect solution of many problems," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

"I've visited three republics, and now I need time to comprehend the obtained information," she said. The High Commissioner has emphasized that her meeting with Dmitry Kozak was extremely useful. "We have discussed some of my concerns with local conditions and I want to include everything Mr Kozak said into my final analysis. And I'll tell my remaining concerns to the President," Louise Arbur has noted.

"I'll have a complete impression of my visit after I meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the President of the country on Friday (February 24) in Moscow," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

In his turn, Dmitry Kozak said: "We have complete match of opinions that the problems should be solved consistently, and we have agreed to cooperate."

Meanwhile, Mikhail Kamynin, official spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, has informed in his interview to the RIA "Novosti" that "the topic of Ms Arbur's talks with the heads of Russian ministries and agencies will be the issues of observance of human rights in Russia and prospects of broader cooperation with the United Nations in this area."

"In this context, we rely on continuation of technical cooperation programmes between Russia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights," Mr Kamynin said.

According to his story, the parties will also discuss the prospects of reforming the UN human rights sector (including the issue of creating the Council for Human Rights instead of the UN Commission for Human Rights), the problem of politicization of the topic of human rights and the policy of "double standards" in this sphere, and the threats to human rights from international terrorism.

Besides, the talks in the Russian capital will treat the issue of the representative office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Moscow, which should be opened late in February this year.

Louise Arbur is in Russia since February 19. During this time she has visited three republics of Northern Caucasus: Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia. For today, Louise Arbur has also planned a meeting with Russian Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin.