§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government is giving to the Russian Federation to work towards a constructive and peaceful solution to instability in Chechnya and the Caucasus region; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that proper democratic processes are taking place in the area. [136697]
§ Mr. RammellThe UK Government undertake regular dialogue with Russian counterparts at both official and ministerial level about the on-going conflict in Chechnya and its resolution. The UK Government also substantially fund humanitarian aid by international organisations and NGOs in the region, totalling around £74 million.
We have monitored the political process in Chechnya closely since its inception. We were disappointed by the conditions under which the recent Chechen Presidential elections were held, as I made clear in my 6 October press statement. A copy of the press release is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth website: www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases. The UK supported similar statements by the EU. We have called on the new Chechen President to promote a genuinely open political process.