§ Lord Moynihanasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their current policy towards Chechnya. [HL443]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos)We have consistently recognised the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and the Russian Government's right and obligation to defend its citizens from terrorism. We have acknowledged and condemned the terrorist atrocities committed by some Chechen groups and their clear links to international terrorism. But we continue to emphasise that counter-terrorist operations in Chechnya, as elsewhere, must be in strict adherence to the rule of law and must respect human rights. We believe that the protection of human rights in Chechnya is an essential precursor to any political solution to the Chechen conflict.