Russians and Chechens vs US diplomacy

Tue Sep 7 17:32:15 2004

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on 9/7/04 12:59 PM, Jon Ford at jonmfordster@hotmail.com wrote:

Here's a New York Times/AP  article about US diplomatic response to the
recent slaughter of school children in Russia by Chechen seperatists. The
Russian response is a classic-- shows the respect other countires have for
us right now. Putin's comments on Osama are classic in their nastiness :

jon, i must say that i had the exact opposite  feeling from the article,
more like it shows how little regard the usa has for other nations policies
,and how 
our meeting with chechens is not so diplomatic to putin.

U.S. Calls for Diplomacy With Chechens
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: September 7, 2004

Filed at 1:49 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON AP) -- The Bush administration differed Tuesday with Russian
President Vladimir Putin and said that only a political settlement could end
the crisis between Russia and the breakaway region of Chechnya.

The administration also left open the possibility of U.S. meetings with
Chechens who are not linked to terrorists.

Secretary of State Colin Powell and Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage signed
a book of condolences at the Russian Embassy over the deaths of at least 330
people, most of them children, during a hostage-taking last week at a school
in the southern city of Beslan.

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And, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that in response to a
request from the Russian government, two C-130 cargo planes had flown
medical supplies worth about $580,000, which were stockpiled in Germany, to
Russia and planned an additional flight from Italy.

Also, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow released in Moscow $50,000 in
emergency assistance, Boucher said.

In an interview Monday with a group of foreign journalists and academics,
Putin rejected Western calls for negotiations with Chechen rebel
representatives, Britain's Guardian and Independent newspapers reported.

``Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White
House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he
leaves you in peace?'' the Guardian quoted Putin as saying sarcastically.

``You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these
bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?''

Putin said foreigners should have ``no more questions about our policy in
Chechnya'' after the attackers shot children in the back, and said the
Chechen cause was aimed at undermining all of southern Russia and
majority-Muslim regions of the country.

Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said Tuesday that ``our view on the
overall situation has not changed.'' That is, he said, ultimately ``there
must be a political settlement'' over Chechnya.

He said U.S. officials had met with Chechens with a variety of views in the
past, although ``we do not meet with terrorists.'' There may be additional
meetings in the future, though none are planned, he said.

Responding to Russian suspicions that the terrorist group that seized the
school in Beslan included Arabs with ties to the al-Qaida terror network,
Boucher said the Bush administration did not have any definitive
information. 

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on 9/7/04 12:59 PM, Jon Ford at jonmfordster@hotmail.com wrote: 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>Here's a New York Times/AP &nbsp;article about US diplomatic re=
sponse to the recent slaughter of school children in Russia by Chechen seper=
atists. The Russian response is a classic-- shows the respect other countire=
s have for us right now. Putin's comments on Osama are classic in their nast=
iness : 
 
jon, i must say that i had the exact opposite &nbsp;feeling from the articl=
e, more like it shows how little regard the usa has for other nations polici=
es ,and how 
our meeting with chechens is not so diplomatic to putin. 
 
U.S. Calls for Diplomacy With Chechens 
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 
 
Published: September 7, 2004 
 
 
Filed at 1:49 p.m. ET 
 
WASHINGTON AP) -- The Bush administration differed Tuesday with Russian Pre=
sident Vladimir Putin and said that only a political settlement could end th=
e crisis between Russia and the breakaway region of Chechnya. 
 
The administration also left open the possibility of U.S. meetings with Che=
chens who are not linked to terrorists. 
 
Secretary of State Colin Powell and Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage signe=
d a book of condolences at the Russian Embassy over the deaths of at least 3=
30 people, most of them children, during a hostage-taking last week at a sch=
ool in the southern city of Beslan. 

Advertisement 


 
And, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that in response to a =
request from the Russian government, two C-130 cargo planes had flown medica=
l supplies worth about $580,000, which were stockpiled in Germany, to Russia=
 and planned an additional flight from Italy. 
 
Also, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow released in Moscow $50,000 in emer=
gency assistance, Boucher said. 
 
In an interview Monday with a group of foreign journalists and academics, P=
utin rejected Western calls for negotiations with Chechen rebel representati=
ves, Britain's Guardian and Independent newspapers reported. 
 
``Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the Whit=
e House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he =
leaves you in peace?'' the Guardian quoted Putin as saying sarcastically. <B=
R>
 
``You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these =
bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?'' 
 
Putin said foreigners should have ``no more questions about our policy in C=
hechnya'' after the attackers shot children in the back, and said the Cheche=
n cause was aimed at undermining all of southern Russia and majority-Muslim =
regions of the country. 
 
Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said Tuesday that ``our view on th=
e overall situation has not changed.'' That is, he said, ultimately ``there =
must be a political settlement'' over Chechnya. 
 
He said U.S. officials had met with Chechens with a variety of views in the=
 past, although ``we do not meet with terrorists.'' There may be additional =
meetings in the future, though none are planned, he said. 
 
Responding to Russian suspicions that the terrorist group that seized the s=
chool in Beslan included Arabs with ties to the al-Qaida terror network, Bou=
cher said the Bush administration did not have any definitive information. <=
BR>
 
<HR ALIGN=3DCENTER SIZE=3D"3" WIDTH=3D"100%"> 
 On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to =
get there! &lt;http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2749??PS=3D47575&gt; &nbsp; 
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