Russia ends OSCE Chechnya mission
By CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty
MOSCOW, Russia -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which monitors human rights, will not be allowed to function in Chechnya as from Wednesday, New Year's Day, according to Russian officials.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says the OSCE was not able to "fully realise the new realities in Chechnya." Consequently, the two sides could not reach agreement on extending the mandate for the OSCE Assistance Group which began its work in Russia in 1995.
The Foreign Ministry said Russia had been negotiating with the OSCE for two months, urging it to focus on supplying and distributing humanitarian aid to people, helping them return home and providing accommodation to displaced people.
When the first agreement was reached in 1995, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said, the mandate was very broad, including dealing with the political normalisation of Chechnya. Now, Yakovenko said, the political process of normalisation is taking place in Chechnya and "peaceful life is returning."
Human rights organisations have said just the opposite -- that violence continues in Chechnya.
The Foreign Ministry insists the closing down of the Assistance Group to Chechnya does not mean Russia's relations with the OSCE will end and Moscow is prepared to consider "other forms of cooperation."
The 55-nation OSCE represents all European countries plus the U.S. and Canada.
