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Mr.
Bukovsky, how do you see from now on the
Russia-Chechnya relations after the killing of
the moderate leader and legitimate president of
Chechnya, Maskhadov, carried out by the Russian
forces?
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I am afraid that the
situation will deteriorate, will become more
radicalized, that after Maskhadov’s murder the
radical forces will get the upper hand in
Chechnya. You know that Maskhadov insisted on
peaceful negotiations, only recently declaring
unilateral ceasefire, which may not
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have been
particularly welcome by some circles in
Chechnya.
You
suppose the situation in Chechnya will become
more radicalized after Maskhadov’s killing?
Still, Maskhadov had some influence...
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Undoubtedly Maskhadov had a
great influence and even though there were some
differences among the various Chechen groups,
they all supported his offer for a ceasefire,
and there is no other person with such authority
in Chechnya, that’s a fact. Now it depends on
who will take Maskhadov’s place but I am afraid
that the adherents to radical solutions will
acquire more influence.
Russian journalists and human right activists
claim that to inisist on peace now is dangerous
in Russia. Recently, criticism of Russia by the
US and Europe seems to have increased and the
Council of Europe also insisted that Russia end
the war in Chechnya. Do you think it is possible
that President Maskhadov’s killing was carried
out at this time with the aim of hindering the
possibility of starting peace negotiations?
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This can’t be ruled out, but
is difficult to say, since the Russian special
forces have been trying to kill Maskhadov for a
long time, having even declared him a terrorist.
It is well known that they have been preparing
for Maskhadov’s murder for a long time and have
been pursuing him for a long time. So that it
might be a sheer coincidence that they killed
him just now. However, the impression this
murder left is just that. Whether correct or
not, the impression is exactly that.
Yes,
Maskhadov’s killing at this very moment looks
like a cynical response by the Russian
authorities to the efforts for ending the war.
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No doubt, this murder will
hinder the peace movement, and will reduce the
influence of the adherents to moderate solutions
in Chechnya, this is quite obvious.
Several days before Maskhadov’s killing a
meeting was held in London between the Union of
Russian Soldiers’ Mothers and Zakaev,
Maskhadov’s spokesman. The Russian soldiers’
mothers also insisted on beginning peace
negotiations and supported Maskhadov’s peace
plan. How did this meeting go?
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Yes, they talked with Zakayev,
signed a joint declaration. They will continue
their work, but how things will develop is
difficult to foretell since the new leadership
might take a more radical stance than the line
supported by Maskhadov and Zakayev.
Didn’t the West miss the opportunity to support
Maskhadov’s peace plan while he was still alive?
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The West is very reluctant to
deal with the war in Chechnya and to criticize
Russia. The West has its own (even oil-related)
reasons to consider Russia an important element
of its anti-terror coalition, which, in my view,
is very dubious. Until not long ago, Russia was
hardly ever criticized. However, recently, the
West has shown greater candor and criticism in
its dealings with Russia. Bush’s criticism was
rather mild and restrained but recently a
tendency has been noticed to increase criticisms
of Russia for its human right abuses. It’s
difficult for me to prognosticate for how long
this tendency will continue and develop but it
is obvious that there is such a tendency.
How
do you see from now on the development of
relations between Russia and the West? Will
Putin continue enjoying the double standard and
soft attitude regardless of the drastic human
right abuses in Russia?
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First of all, Bush’s
criticism of Putin was rather restrained. Russia
was expected to declare that it would continue
with the democratic reforms and Putin to affirm
his adherence to democracy, and Putin did that,
he affirmed it but with a hint that in Russia
they would continue with the reforms the way
they think fit for Russia. I would welcome a
greater pressure being put upon Russia by the
West, and not only because of Chechnya but for
the protection of human rights in Russia, for
freedom of speech, etc.
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