§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to, and what responses he has received from, Russia on human rights in Chechnya on the accountability of the police and army for their actions. [104747]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe question of the accountability of military and police actions in Chechnya is one which is regularly raised with the Russian government. Most recently, during human rights talks at senior official level, with the Russia n government earlier this month, we stressed that all allegations of human rights violations should be thoroughly and transparently investigated, and those responsible punished. We added that the vigorous protection of the human rights of the civil population was an essential precursor to a lasting political solution to the conflict in Chechnya.
On this occasion, senior Russian officials acknowledged that violations had been committed and that action needed to be taken to prevent further abuses. Their aim was to increase the protection of the civil population's human rights through the introduction of a new constitution for Chechnya, the phased withdrawal of Federal troops and the transfer of their security duties to the Chechen Interior Ministry.