23:12, 20 February 2007

Kadyrov reiterates his reluctance to be president of Chechnya

Ramzan Kadyrov, now acting president of Chechnya, has again stated at the press conference in Grozny that he has no presidential ambitions.

"This is a great responsibility. I always was an economist, and I remain an economist. So far, the circumstances have made me an acting president. What will follow - it depends only on the Russian president. It will be just as Putin decides," the acting president has said.

However, few people in the Republic doubt that Kadyrov will replace Alu Alkhanov, former head of the Republic, in this position.

A source in the office of the president and government of Chechnya has informed that in the coming days the Republic will be visited by Dmitri Kozak, plenipotentiary representative of the president of Russia for the South Federal District (SFD), who will hold consultations with public and political associations of the Republic on the person of the future head of Chechnya.

Author: Sultan Abubakarov, CK correspondent