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| Caucasus |
| No need for global help to end Chechnya conflict: Straw |
| 2004-09-07 |
| Tuesday September 7th, 2004 LONDON: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Monday ruled out any UN or other international role in resolving the Chechen crisis, saying that it was up to Russia to find the right way of ending it. "This is something which is bound to have to be resolved by the Russian government," Straw told BBC radio in the aftermath of the Beslan school hostage-taking bloodbath. "It is within their state and they have been taking steps to deal with it," he said, adding that President Vladimir Putin "is a man to make his own judgments about what is appropriate". Straw said that he often discussed Chechnya with Russian officials, "but with great respect I don't think now is the moment (to discuss ways to end the conflict) because it is almost tasteless and it is disrespectful to the dead and the dying and their relatives" in Beslan. "In addition to that, it has the effect of sliding away the focus from where it should be, which is on the nature of these people who say they have some cause or other, but who are willing, in support of that cause, to murder innocent children," he said. Straw said Britain has offered Russia any help or advice it needs to confront terrorism, though he added no request has been received from Moscow in relation to the Beslan incident. "We have always worked closely with the government of Russia in counter-terrorist operations and if and when they need any assistance and advice from us of course they will be offered it very readily," he said. |
| Posted by:Mark Espinola |
| #8 Not gonna argue too much with with Jules. Let the KGB, be the KGB, has it has been forever and shall remain under a different name from time to time, amen. |
| Posted by: Deion Shipman 2004-09-07 8:44:42 PM |
| #7 I read it to mean that is ok for any country to fight terrorism in its own best way-except, of course, for America. This is not a slam on Jack Straw-it just seems that "American exceptionalism" has taken on a whole new meaning. On another note, the West's earlier support of satellite states breaking off from the former Soviet Union makes this a tangled but interesting mess, doesn't it? |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-09-07 5:58:50 PM |
| #6 I read it to mean that the UK has no particular interest in Russian internal affairs. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-09-07 5:46:53 PM |
| #5 Lead, follow or get out of the way. It sounds like Mr. Straw has chosen the third option, which puts him ahead of France and the EU, who would rather interfere than be helpful. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-09-07 1:56:59 PM |
| #4 Sounds like water running, soap spewing, handwashing to me. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-09-07 1:29:25 PM |
| #3 Sorry Jack, but what's done is done, and resolving the Chechen "crisis" will do nothing to stop Chechen/Arab terrorism, unless Mr. Straw has something more violent in mind. |
| Posted by: V is for Victory 2004-09-07 11:53:30 AM |
| #2 it was up to Russia to find the right way of ending it. Bush to Putin : Vlad, buddy. Wanna borrow a MOAB? |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-09-07 11:09:17 AM |
| #1 British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Monday ruled out any UN or other international role in resolving the Chechen crisis, saying that it was up to Russia to find the right way of ending it. The UN, however, reserves the right to tut-tut the Russians if these actions do not please them. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-09-07 10:20:32 AM |