WRITTEN QUESTION E-2680/03 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council. Setting up a United Nations Interim Administration in Chechnya.
Date: 2003-09-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Russia, UNO, international security, peace, settlement of disputes, war of independence

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/35

based budgeting’) approach that, from 2004, will make it necessary to have a legal basis for operations
which can no longer be regarded as administrative expenditure; until then, a legal basis is not legally
required in order to use these appropriations.

(2004/C 84 E/0038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2680/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council

(10 September 2003)

Subject: Setting up a United Nations Interim Administration in Chechnya

An ambitious report
(An Agenda for Renewal: US-Russian Relations), published by the Carnegie
Endowment (USA) in 2000, states that ‘there is no solution’ to the conflict in Chechnya, because a
withdrawal of Russian troops, allegedly the only way to stop the war, would be tantamount to victory for
the Chechen radical nationalists and the international mujahedin, a scenario that is ‘not in the United
States’ interests’ and that ‘would be appalling for all the north Caucasian peoples’. In other words, both
President Putin and some pro-democracy think tanks claim that Russia has no choice but to continue its
genocidal war in Chechnya. A withdrawal by Russian troops would, in the view of both parties, be seen as
a victory for Chechen forces and lead to the transformation of Chechnya into a ‘base’ for Chechen
terrorism. There is, however, an alternative to these false alternatives.
nationalists and international
On 15 March 2003, Ilyas Akhmadov, the Chechen Foreign Minister, presented a new peace plan, under
which a United Nations Interim Administration would be set up in Chechnya, a proposal that was sent to
the foreign ministers of the EU Member States and applicant countries, the High Representative for the
Javier Solana, and the Commissioner for external relations,
Common Foreign and Security Policy,
Chris Patten. Moreover, during a programme recently broadcast by the Moscow radio station Echo Moskvy
dealing with the issue of setting up a United Nations Interim Administration in Chechnya, 75 % of those
who expressed their opinion were in favour of Mr Akhmadov’s solution. Although not a scientific poll, it is
a new and undeniably significant indication of the Russian people’s feelings on this subject.

What is the Council’s evaluation of the peace plan put forward by the Chechen Foreign Minister proposing
that a United Nations Interim Administration be set up in Chechnya? Does the Council share the opinion
of President Putin and some think tanks that the only alternative to the ongoing genocidal war would be
the creation in Chechnya of a base for Chechen extremists and international terrorism? Does the Council
not think that a UN Interim Administration, like the one in Kosovo, could establish democracy and the
rule of law in the space of a few years and, as a result, help create a more effective antidote to any
potential drift towards extremism?

Reply

(8 March 2004)

The Council is not aware of the details of the peace plan put forward by the ‘Chechen Foreign Minister’
proposing that a United Nations Interim Administration be set up in Chechnya.

is much concerned by the situation in Chechnya and raises the need for a genuine
The Council
reconciliation regularly when meeting the Russian authorities. The Council believes in a peaceful
settlement of the conflict in Chechnya through the restoration of the rule of law and the full respect of
human rights.

The Council has several times encouraged the Russian authorities, along with international organisations,
to develop and implement a political settlement process in Chechnya.

On 8 October last the Presidency, on behalf of the EU, issued a declaration on the presidential elections in
Chechnya in which it expressed its serious doubts regarding the fairness of the electoral process and the
conditions in which these elections were held.

The Union intends to continue to make known its concerns to the Russian authorities in relation to the
situation in Chechnya.