Russia lets watchdog back in Chechnya

Parts of Chechnya have been demolished during the battle with rebels

VIENNA, Austria -- Russia has allowed security watchdog, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to monitor Chechnya.

The OSCE has been pressing Russia to allow it to return to the battle-scarred region since it withdrew its mission in December 1998 because Chechnya had become too dangerous.

The group said on Wednesday that Russia had agreed to allow a mission to return, Reuters news agency reported.

The mission will monitor alleged human rights violations in Chechnya and support the provision of relief supplies and assistance for refugees.

Russian troops left Chechnya after being defeated by rebels in a 1994-96 conflict, but returned to the region in force in the autumn of 1999.

They nominally control most of Chechnya but remain subject to deadly rebel ambushes.

About 3,000 Russian troops have been killed but figures for rebel and civilian casualties are unknown, Reuters said.

Russian forces have been waging a bloody war against separatist rebels in Chechnya since 1999 and the United States and other Western countries have accused Moscow of human rights abuses.

Romanian Ambassador Liviu Bota, whose country holds the OSCE chairmanship this year, told Reuters a four-member team would re-establish a mission in Znamenkoye, north Geoana.

Asked if the 55-nation OSCE, which groups all European countries plus the U.S. and Canada, remained concerned about human rights in Chechnya, Bota replied: "Of course there are violations of human rights and those should be reported.

"There are terrorist acts of all kinds. Those also should be reported. The whole spectrum of issues will be covered."

Bota said a 25-man unit of special forces from the Russian Ministry of Justice, who have not previously fought in Chechnya, would provide protection for the OSCE team.

The OSCE is to pay for the services of the protection force.

However, Bota said the organisation would not pay for arms and ammunition, but would fund communication equipment, protective equipment, clothing, food and transport.

The OSCE mission's original 1995 mandate in Chechnya covers human rights, relief aid, help for refugees, conflict resolution and supporting mechanisms for maintaining law and order.