Russian Envoy Discusses Possible Yemeni Role On Chechnya [Archives:2000/11/Law & Diplomacy]
Latest development in Chechnya forces Russia to provide the world in general, and countries sympathizing with Chechnya in particular, with full details about its military operations in Chechnya. Russians think that Yemen is able to play a role in the Chechian issue. In this regard a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry arrived in Sana’a last week, carrying a written message to Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Abdul Kader Bajamal.
According to official sources, the visit aims at developing the bilateral relationship between the two countries as well as discussing matters related to Russia!
Mohammed Ben Sallam of the Yemen Times met with Alexey Podtserob envoy of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs and filed the following interview:
Q: What is the purpose of your visit?
A: Russia cooperates with Yemen in different fields. Last year the representative of the Foreign Ministry in Russia reciprocated. I came to Yemen as a representative of the Foreign Minister of Russia to hand in a letter and discussed with the officials matters relating to the development of our relation at all levels. We discuss the problem in the Middle East, Iraq, Africa. We also talked about the situation in Kosova and Chechnya, the prospect of further improvement in the mutual relationship. We value our friendship with Yemen. It is in fact a historical friendship. The first friendship treaty between Russia and an Arab country was with Yemen. We hope that this relation continues in future.
Q: Could you introduce yourself to the readers of YT?
A: I am a diplomat, have certificate as an ambassador. I work now at the Foreign Ministry, at the Middle East Department. Before that I was working in Algeria, Libya, Egypt, New York, and then again in Libya.
Q: What is the aim of this visit of yours?
A: As I said, we have a protocol of consultations amongst the Foreign Ministries. Last year it was the Yemeni representatives in Moscow, and now it is our turn to come here and continue the dialogue. I am here as the personal representative of the Foreign Minister, Evanoof. I have a message from Mr. Evanoof to Mr. Ba Jamal.
Q: How is the situation in Chechnya, and when do you think that the military operations would come to an end?
A: For the moment, the biggest part of Chechnya is liberated from the terrorists. There are some areas of resistance on their part in the mountains, but we believe that now we can see in the near future the end of the military operations. The fighters in Chechnya will try to organize a massacre against the federal forces, but I do not believe it to be successful because they do not have the support from the local population. Now, the position of the local population has changed in relation to the first war in Chechnya, and now the local population cooperate with the federal government forces, and authorities. However, I do not think that the military operations will not come to an end in the near future.
Q: Is the report true that some Yemeni youth are in the cadre of Chechnya forces, and that there are a number of Yemeni students in Moscow having connection with fighters in Chechnya?
A: There are some Arab mercenaries who participate in fighting against the federal forces. I am not sure whether there are Yemenis, but we do not believe that the participation of such people is linked with the policy of one Arab state or an other. Mercenaries call mercenaries, no more than that. We do not accuse any Arab or Islamic government on these bases.
Q: We hear a report that Yemeni students in Moscow are enraged by the Russian police, what will you say about this?
A: I am sure it does not turn against the Yemenis in particular. You know that Chechnya territories are organized in Moscow. There were some buildings destroyed with a large number casualties. That is why special measures were taken by Moscow and federal authorities. So, this is not orientated against Yemenis or against any other nationality in Moscow. There is a special order to impound their passports. You have to have a passport with you. If you do not have, you may be taken to custody for some hours, only to establish your identity. The people who live in these buildings in Moscow, and there were Arabs, of course, from different countries and Russia who were subjected to such legal situations if they were without passports. So, I think that it is normal in special conditions; As far as I know from my contact with Arab embassies in Moscow including Yemeni embassy, it was not a problem. No body was arrested; it was a part of general restriction which applied to all. May be some Yemenis were taken into custody for sometime, but no more of it now. It was not meant to be any discrimination, especially not against Yemeni, Arabs or Muslims.
Q: How do you evaluate the mutual relationship at the political, economic, economic, and military levels?
A: In the political field, there are excellent relations between the two countries. We remember very well that the first Arab country with which we signed an agreement on friendship, was Yemen. One of the proof is of the growing friendship is my visit right now. Our dialogue is very friendly, and sincere in all the respects so far. Economic relations are concerned of course I believe that there are some prospects and some possibilities. There is a change in Russian economic policies in the economic sector. Before, it was a socialist economy, now it is a capitalist economy, a liberal economy. Now, we have to renew the cooperation under new conditions. It takes time, but by all means, we have a very good experience in building cooperation with Yemen. We in Russia know Yemen as a market that conditions all work here. That is why I am optimistic. In the cultural field there are great possibilities and, I am sure our cooperation would continue ever. As regards of the Yemeni students in Russia, for example. Yesterday, I left from Abu Dabi by al-Yemenia; A lady spoke to me in Arabic in English. She said that she has written a book in Russian. Regarding military cooperation. Of course we have very good relations. We have historical relations. We have traditions, and I believe from the two parties, there is a continuos effort to develop these traditions.
Q: What is the quantum of assistance presented to Yemen, and what are these?
A: This is in the educational field. There are many scholarships presented to Yemen. We gave fifty seats to Yemeni students in Moscow; As you know there are a lot of Yemeni students who are studying there; It is impossible to count them.
Q: How do you look to the future of this relation?
A: With great optimism. We have around seventy years of the relations with Yemen. They are fruitful relations in spite of all the changes here in Yemen, but we have a very successful tradition, so I am very optimistic because we know Yemen and Yemen knows us.
Q: Is there any intention of Russia to exempt Yemen from its debts as a second step?
A: As I know the total amount of debts was calculated, and the government of Yemen agreed to this settlement. It was settled on a bases very positive note for the Yemeni side.
Q: How many refugees left Chechnya, and when they come back, and what is the extent of additional resources required?
A: How to count the number of refugees? Between the first and the second Chechnya war, there were 300,000, who went out of Chechnya because there were no real government or real law, there was no real constitution or normal life for the people. During these wars, out of 300,000 Chechnyan who stayed in this Republic, it was more than one hundred thousand in Tagakistan. Now they want to return after the reconstruction. May be there are 60,000 people who are out of Chechnya because there are 700,000 from Chechnya who live in permanent places in Russia. There are a lot of businessmen, workers and so on. As I said, one of them is a candidate for presidency of the federation, and he will participate in the elections. We in the foreign ministry have from Chechnya, for example the chief of councilor section in Cairo. He is very effective. The extent of damage it is impossible to quantify. Grozni is destroyed of course, but we will do our best to rebuild it.
Q: How about human damages?
A: Amongst the federal forces the casually was around 1500 persons, but amongst the population it is difficult to count, but it was more in Grozni.
Q: Who much time will you spend in reconstructing Grozni?
A: I am not an engineer, so I do not know, but we have experienced hands to reconstruct that. So naturally it would take a lot of time, but it is impossible to give you the precise time frame.
Q: How many Chechnya fighters are there enrolled in the Russian army now?
A: They are 3000, but they are not only from Chechnya; There are a lot of mercenaries who are fighting against the federal forces.
Q: How many foreign fighters are fighting side by side with the Chechnyan people?
A: It is difficult to say because we know that they are foreigners. There are a number of nationalities enrolled as fighters, but all of them are not from Chechnya. So it is difficult to ask from where they are from.
Q: Who supported Chechnya in its war against Russia?
A: From the states, I think that there was no support, but we highly regard the position of the Islamic governments, the Arab governments, and especially the position of the Yemeni government in this war. I think the support is from the non-governmental organizations, especially from the Islamic world. What I can say, for example regarding people like Bin Ladan who supports this war.
Q: How about Saudi?
A: The minister of the Russian federation visited now Ryadh before few days. I was with him and we got very precious information from the Saudi part that they consider Chechnya situation as an internal Russian matter that they are for the integrity of Russia. More than that Saudi Arab gave humanitarian paid to refugees and all of this support is centralized. It was through official channel, through united committee to help Chechnya, through the committee of emergency.
Q: Do you think that America supports Chechnya?
A: I do not believe that because they did nothing to support us in the first war. Any internal conflict in Russia is not of interest to the United States because the American prefer to deal with stable Russia. We are a nuclear power, we are a permanent member of the security Council. We still are a great power. The American have a lot of problems I do not think that the American is interested to have the region under external control.
Q: How can Russia solve the situation inside Chechnya in order to preserve its unity with Chechnya?
A: There are a lot of possibilities. We are a federation and we have different Republics, and for the Republics, there are a lot of possibilities how to organize their relations with the federal government. According to our constitution, they may receive authorities. A very good example here is in Tagakistan; It has authorities. The same will be with Chechnya. This is left to Chechnya how to resolve this question. Of course it will be a Republic inside Russia; Then about external relations. This is according to the Russian constitution. The priority should be given to the federal and central government in general, but the possibility is that inside Chechnya we are going to have economic relation with the outside world, to organize a big deal with any other federal country.
Q: What is the position of Russia concerning Iraqi economic sanctions, and why does not Russia take a serious position to put an end to this blockage while it is a permanent member in the Security Council?
A: We believe that it is necessary to verify the matter to substantiate or refute of complaints leveled by Iraq with the security council resolutions, especially in the first war, and on this basis to go to the declaration of sanctions. We believe that a lot could be done in this field, and may be, these resolutions of the Security Council are generally implemented. In is necessary not to go ahead, not to continue the present situations. About our steps, it is impossible to implement these without the cooperation between Iraq, the Security Council. And the United Nations in general. That is why we were not against the resolution of the United Nations. There are a lot of things that are not positive in United Nations resolution, but there must be a cooperation between the two sides.
Q: Any other comments you like to add?
A: Yes, I would say that the world has become too close and we are now in the 21st century. This century will be the century of cooperation amongst the different civilizations, cultures, and religions. So, the experience of Russia is very important. We have our ancient civilization. We lived during centuries with other people, cultures, and religions. Two main elements of Russian civilization are the Russian orthodox culture and the Islamic culture. That is why I emphasize that the beginning of the coexistence of our civilization began with Russia.
——
[archive-e:11-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-03-13-p:./2000/iss11/l&d.htm]