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The OSCE mission returned to Chechnya under the dollar “shield”

The OSCE mission returned to Chechnya after a three-year break. Last Friday, in the village of Znamenskoye, in the presence of the OSCE Chairman, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, a new office of this organization was opened. OSCE representatives worked in Chechnya for many years, in particular, they contributed to the start of negotiations with the separatists at the end of the first Chechen war. However, in 1998, the OSCE group was forced to curtail its activities in the republic - no one could guarantee the personal safety of its employees.

Now the security of personnel will cost the OSCE 13 million rubles a year. According to the agreement, which was signed last week by the head of the mission, Alexandru Cornea, and the head of the GUIN of the Ministry of Justice, Vladimir Yalunin, the OSCE itself will pay for the security of its employees. The “cover” group will include 16 special forces soldiers from the GUIN, another nine people will accompany OSCE staff on trips around the region.

Mr. Geoana believes that the return of the OSCE mission to the Chechen Republic is “the pinnacle of the Romanian chairmanship in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.” Mr. Joana sees the task of the mission as organizing a political dialogue between the parties to the conflict. But representatives of the Russian authorities do not agree with this. In particular, the President's special representative for human rights in Chechnya, Vladimir Kalamanov, whose office is located in Znamensky, does not see any “political bloc” among the tasks of the OSCE. He is very critical of the mission's previous activities in Chechnya and believes that it will have to take care of restoring the trust of local residents. “This can only be done through the humanitarian sphere,” says Mr. Kalamanov.

Ivan SUKHOV