Russian Ambassador: Yemen on the front line of combating terror [Archives:2004/773/Community]
Mohammed bin Sallam
After a series of terrorist acts and bombings in many areas of Russia, especially the juvenile school incident (in the North part of Russia) that resulted in the death of hundreds of innocent children. For the purpose of seeking truth about the incident, Yemen Times forwarded some questions to the Russian Ambassador, Alexander Zacibkine in Sana'a and received the following answers:
Q: A series of terrorist acts took place, of which include the bombings of the underground rail-road, the destruction of two civil planes, and the kidnapping of the school hostages in North Russia. What is your evaluation about the increase of violence waves in the country?
A: This question has been clearly answered by the Russian President Vladimir Putin in his words to the citizens after the school incident, describing these terrorist acts as a challenge for Russia and its nation. The other bombings and assassinations are based on a plan aiming at weakening Russia, the will of the population and implanting enmity among the multi-religious and ethnical Russian society.
Q: How can these challenges be countered?
A: These harms can be countered only by the nation turning towards the leadership and solving the political concerns in protecting the state, reinforcing its unity and developing the civil society. Intensive attention has to be paid to social and economic issues, and accomplishing the entire program for improving the administration of the state as well as reconstructing the security and judicial systems to be more effective.
Q: Do you think that the Russian leadership should modify its policy towards Chechnya and hold direct talks with the Chechnya opposition to ensure stability in the region?
A: I know the political strategy adopted by the Russian leadership towards Chechnya is correct and its conduct in this way aims at normalizing all aspects of life for the population through applying the steps of constitutional systems and purposeful procedures.
Regarding the conversations with the Chechnya opposition, the two leaderships will hold conversation with representatives of political currents, different social layers and influential figures but they cannot converse with terrorists who try to attain their objectives by killing innocent children and citizens so as to support their claims.
Q: Do you think that the series of terrorist attacks will lead to shaking stability between nationalisms, religions, Muslims and Christians in Russia, and what about your future relations with the Arab World.
A: During his speech to the public, President Vladimir Putin emphasized on spreading awareness among public and unifying their queues and it is clear to every one that all Russians belong to different nationalisms and religions but live side by side throughout the centuries in community spirit. I exerted a great effort for the sake of improving cooperation between the Soviet Union formerly and Russia currently and the Arab world Terrorists can not break the Arab-Russian friendship.
Q: How do evaluate Yemen's stance towards the bloody incidences in Russia?
A: Many countries in the world experience terrorist hazards but Russia and Yemen are on the front line in combating international terror. Russia highly appreciates the condolences sent by his Excellency President Saleh to his counterpart Vladimir Putin on the catastrophe of Paisalan city and this gives us a profile of Yemeni and Russian relations.
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[archive-e:773-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-09-16-p:community]
