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CHECHEN
REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
#10-792
14 February 2002
The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria presents a statement of Francis
A. Boyle, the Attorney of Record for the ChRI .
For further information, please, contact Professor Francis A. Boyle :
+ 1 217-333-7954 (voice), + 1 217-244-1478(fax), email: fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
RECOGNIZE THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA IN ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER
ACTS OF GENOCIDE AGAINST THE CHECHEN PEOPLE BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION!
By
Francis A. Boyle
Professor of International Law
Attorney of Record for the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
14 February 2002
On 13 December 2001 Russian President Vladimir Putin conducted a public
news conference with the Financial Times of London that was published
by them on 15 December 2001. During the course of this interview, President
Putin admitted and conceded yet again that the Russian Federation had
officially recognized both the de jure and the de facto independence of
the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. To quote President Putin's exact words:
FT: For the war on terrorism, do you expect more support from the international
coalition in Chechnya?
Mr. Putin: We believe that this would be well grounded, and fair. And
we should state honestly what has been happening there all this time,
what is happening there now.
In 1996 Russia withdrew all its military and law enforcement forces
from the territory of Chechnya. Thus de facto, if not de jure, we granted
independence to Chechnya. So nobody can accuse us of suppressing the
desire of the Chechen people for independence. Once already we have
given them such an opportunity….
The Russian Federation is bound by President Putin's latest Admission
Against Interest.
President Putin, President Yeltsin and the Russian Federation have repeatedly
recognized both the de jure and the de facto independence of the Chechen
Republic of Ichkeria. The other governments of the world must do no less.
The world's governments must take President Putin, President Yeltsin and
the Russian Federation at their word, as well as respect what President
Putin, President Yeltsin and the Russian Federation have repeatedly done,
admitted, and conceded: The Russian Federation has already recognized
the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as an Independent Nation State under
international law and practice, both de jure and de facto.
The Chechen Republic
of Ichkeria qualifies as an Independent Nation State under international
law and practice in its own right. It must be recognized as such by the
other governments of the world. Such diplomatic recognition will send
a strong message to the Russian Federation that it must terminate its
ongoing genocide against the Chechen People in gross violation of the
1948 Genocide Convention.
According to Article I of the Genocide Convention, all contracting parties
thereto have an obligation "to prevent" this ongoing Russian genocide
against the Chechens. We call upon all governments of the world to recognize
the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in order "to prevent" further Russian
genocide against the Chechen People, as these governments are required
to do by Article I of the Genocide Convention. We also call upon all people
of good faith and good will around the world to demand that their own
governments recognize the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in order "to prevent"
further Russian genocide against the Chechen People, as these governments
are required to do by Article I of the Genocide Convention. Time is of
the essence!
Signed:
Francis A. Boyle
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