Chechnya's State Council reluctant to see OSCE Mission back

The State Council of the Chechen Republic is against the resumption of the activities of the OSCE Assistance Group in the republic. In an interview to republican-based Nasha Gazeta weekly, Taus Jabrailov, chairman of Chechnya's State Council, expressed his resolute disagreement with the proposed return of OSCE representatives to the republic. This would only be of use to gunmen, in his view. "Each time appearing in Chechnya, OSCE officers start calling for talks with illegal armed formations, while gunmen feel a political force and try to express some demands through the OSCE Mission," he said.

The OSCE Mission left the republic after Moscow had refused in December 2002 to extend the mandate of Council of Europe representatives working in Chechnya. The operation of the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya stopped on January 1, 2003. Explaining the reasons for closing the OSCE office in Chechnya, Igor Ivanov who was Russia's foreign minister that time, said the following: "Not all of Russia's partners have been ready to evaluate the situation adequately and to realize fully new realities taking shape in Chechnya. This is what has led to the parties being unable to agree on the new mandate for the OSCE Group before December 31."

The issue of the need for return of the OSCE mission has been raised more than once in Chechnya lately and there is information the Russian leadership has basically been not against the resumption of the activities of this organization in the region. However, it has presently turned out Chechnya's leadership, i.e. the side that might seem to be concerned for the positive decision on this issue, is reluctant to see the OSCE in the republic.