Russian group to meet Chechen rebel envoy

Representatives of a prominent Russian non-governmental organisation were on their way to London today for talks with a Chechen rebel envoy on ways to stop the war in Chechnya.

Valentina Melnikova, the head of the Union of Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers, a leading anti-draft group, said the group would meet tomorrow with Akhmed Zakayev, Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov’s envoy in London.

“First of all, we want to listen to him. We want to know the Chechen commanders’ position … their plans, possibilities and preconditions,” she said.

The group was prevented from meeting with Zakayev in Brussels last November when the Belgian government failed to provide them with visas and threatened to bar Zakayev from the country.

The Russian government has refused to negotiate with Chechen rebels, describing them as terrorists, and has criticised the NGO’s attempts to meet with their representatives.

Russian officials have criticised Britain repeatedly over its decision to provide asylum to Zakayev and over the recent broadcast by an independent British TV channel of an interview with radical Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev.

Tomorrow’s meeting is to take place at the European Parliament office.