§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian Government concerning the war in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns with the Russian Prime Minister in London on 2 March.
My right hon. Friend told him that Chechnya had been a setback to Russia's relations with the west, stressed the importance of ending the fighting and reaching a negotiated settlement and urged the Russians to guarantee free access for humanitarian aid.
§ Mr. ElletsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the Russian Government of the campaign in Chechnya; what assessment he has made of the estimate of the economist Andrei Illarionov; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Douglas HoggIt is very difficult to make an accurate estimate of the costs of the Chechnya campaign.
We are aware of Illarionov's estimate of $5 billion. It is one of a number of widely varying estimates and is based on extrapolation from a limited amount of data.
§ Mr. ElletsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Russian Defence Minister General Pavel Grachev's call for a new offensive in Chechnya.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggWe continue to urge the Russians to end the fighting in Chechnya and pursue a negotiated settlement. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made these points most recently when he saw the Russian Prime Minister on 2 March.