Chechen peace-keeping delegation arrives in Ingushetia

A peace-keeping delegation of representatives of the public and clergy of Chechnya arrived in Nazran, Ingushetia, on July 2. The aim of the visit of the Chechen delegation, as its members explain, is to remove the strain from the alarming situation that has taken shape after the tragic events in Ingushetia on June 21 and 22 about refugees from Chechnya living in Ingushetia. "Our task today is through folk diplomacy to remove the strain that has emerged between the two brotherly peoples as a result of the recent events in Ingushetia," Vasilii Svetlichnyi, Chechnya's deputy minister of nationalities affairs, press and information and head of the delegation, told Caucasian Knot's correspondent. "In connection with this, we plan to meet religious and public figures in Ingushetia and discuss the current situation with them."

"The people of Ingushetia are presently going through very difficult times - we understand what this means better than anyone. At the same time, it should be admitted that certain forces are currently trying to introduce a dissention between our brotherly peoples. In this situation, the Chechens and the Ingush should rally as never before in order to prevent those brotherly ties that have been taking shape between our two peoples for centuries from being destroyed," believes another member of the delegation, Islam Khatsiev, a representative of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Chechnya.

The delegation, which also involved some other eminent representatives of the academic quarters, the clergy and the public of Chechnya, plans to meet with the leadership and some other representatives of the Mufti Office of the Republic of Ingushetia, as well as residents of Ingushetia to discuss the current situation with them during the Friday prayer. At the end of the day, the delegation will attend several places of compact residence of Chechen refugees in Ingushetia.