18:31, 25 August 2004

Maskhadov promises Georgia to help against Russia

Yesterday, August 24, the Georgian TV company Mze broadcast Aslan Maskhadov's appeal, in which he made an assessment of the latest speech delivered by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. "Mr Saakashvili is right stating that the Russian military sides with the Osetians," the leader of Chechen separatists said and begged pardon for Chechen rebels' participation in the Georgian-Abkhazian war on the Abkhazian side. "We admit today that our volunteers were deceived. We shouldn't have interfered in this conflict," Maskhadov said.

Aslan Maskhadov expressed gratitude to the Georgian leadership for showing concern for Chechen refugees. "2 thousand refugees feel safe in the Pankissi Gorge today," Maskhadov said.

Besides, Mze quoted Akhmed Zakayev as saying that "Moscow is sending a new kamikaze to Grozny after the May 9 terror attack. We will blow him up too. The new president, no matter who he will be, will share the fate of the previous one, Kadyrov."

Mze is the only Georgian TV company two teams of which will cover the August 29 presidential election in Chechnya.

Author: Inga Kochiyeva, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot