Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-09-16-Speech-4-143"
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"en.19990916.10.4-143"2
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"The Commission is following the situation in Dagestan and the related issues in Moscow referred to by Mr Wiersma very carefully. Naturally we deeply regret the loss of many lives and the displacement of nearly 40,000 people from their homes as a result of military activity in the Caucasus region.
Current information is that Russian troops appear to have secured most, if not all, of the villages occupied by the invasion forces from Chechnya. As the House will know, this was the second major incursion from Chechnya since early August. Fighting still continues in the border region. According to reports available to the Commission, the invasions have not gained any general support amongst the population of Dagestan. At present it is not clear whether and to what extent Islamic extremists from outside the region have incited or financed the incursions.
For the moment, therefore, the Commission, in common with others in the international community, calls on the Russian authorities to use proportionate force both in fighting on the territory of Dagestan and in hot pursuit operations across the Chechen border. We also call on the Chechen authorities to prevent such incursions being launched from their territory.
We also share parliamentary and public concern about what realistically seems to be the terrorist bombings in Moscow and, as recently as this morning, in Volgadansk. The Commission joins with the Finnish presidency in expressing its sympathy to the Russian authorities. We await the results of the official Russian investigations into the blasts before attributing the blame for these atrocities to any particular group.
The Commission is reassured to note official statements from Moscow that neither the crisis in Dagestan nor the Moscow bombings will be treated as a cause for declaring a state of emergency and thus postponing the forthcoming
elections. At all costs all parties must ensure that the current situation is not allowed to destabilise Dagestan, cause destabilisation in the longer term, or lead to greater political instability in Russia as a whole.
Mrs Schroedter raised the question of a hearing with my colleague, Mr Patten, in the Foreign Affairs Committee. I will certainly pass on her comments. Knowing Mr Patten, I am sure he will respond with alacrity."@en1
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