92001E2139

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2139/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(20 July 2001)

Subject: Massacres of civilians in Chechnya

Two years after Russian troops invaded Chechnya (against the will of an entire people and its legitimately elected government), 80 000 Russian soldiers are continuing to massacre Chechen civilians and 200 000 refugees have fled to the neighbouring Republic of Ingushskaya, where they are suffering all manner of abuses.

Since it is clear that Russia is behaving in a cruel, colonialist fashion, is the Council (following the Danish Parliament's example) planning to lodge a complaint against that country with the Council of Europe's Court of Human Rights?

Reply

(29 November 2001)

The Council has followed the situation in Chechnya very closely since the start of the conflict. It has condemned without hesitation, openly and most firmly, the human rights violations perpetrated in the region. The Council has repeatedly asked that these cases be fully investigated. Recently, the EU made representations to the Russian authorities following the serious abuses committed against the civilian populations by Russian troops at the beginning of July.

Moreover, the Council has insisted that the situation in Chechnya be discussed at all appropriate meetings between the EU and Russia and at all levels. The EU-Russia summit on 3 October in Brussels will be the next opportunity for reaffirming at the highest level the EU's concern regarding Chechnya and urging Russia to take the necessary measures to ensure that human rights violations are investigated swiftly and effectively.

Furthermore, the EU has unhesitatingly supported the efforts of international organisations with regard to the conflict in Chechnya. It adopted a Resolution at the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and successfully supported the return of the OSCE Assistance Group and the sending of three experts from the Council of Europe in Mr Kalamanov's team to Chechnya. For legal reasons, the Council cannot denounce Russia before the Council of Europe's Court of Human Rights, as only the Member States are entitled to act in this regard.