Posted on 09/03/2003 8:24:59 AM PDT by RussianConservative
TBILISI, Georgia -- Russia's federal minister for Chechnya on Tuesday promised housing and compensation to Chechen refugees if they return home from camps in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge.
Heading a Russian delegation to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Stanislav Ilyasov spoke to Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze and his government about ways to persuade the 3,500 refugees in the Pankisi Gorge to return to Chechnya.
Ilyasov said Moscow would pay for the returning refugees to rent apartments and would pay compensation to those whose homes have been completely destroyed in the war. Refugees who cannot find work immediately would receive additional benefits, he added. "Returning refugees will be paid daily bread allowances of 6 rubles [20 cents] for every member of the family," he said.
Representatives of five mountainous regions in southern Chechnya will visit the refugees in September to describe the situation in the regions and to explain to the refugees what they can expect in the way of help when they return home, Ilyasov said.
At the start of the second Chechen war in 1999, more than 7,000 refugees fled across the border to the rugged Pankisi Gorge. The refugees' presence in Pankisi has sparked tension between Russia and Georgia, with Moscow accusing Tbilisi of harboring rebels.
After the U.S. administration said some militants in Pankisi could be linked to al-Qaida, Georgian forces launched a security sweep of the gorge last year, relying on training provided by the U.S. military instructors.
Moscow has been eager for all refugees -- in Georgia and the Russian region of Ingushetia -- to return to Chechnya, as a sign that normality is being restored in the republic.
Ilyasov said the population of Grozny rose from 20,000 three years ago to 200,000 today, calling it "evidence of the normalization of life in Chechnya."
He said the head of the Moscow-backed Chechen administration, Akhmad Kadyrov, would travel to Georgia to meet with refugees if he wins Chechnya's October presidential election.
Not true, troops US train still in training...they have problem coming up with max number troops. Seems Georgia steals monies set for troops. As for bogus operation. It start with 2 weeks of advertisements in news and print. Then follow by parades...yes parades...mean while own Georgian tv report that Shev give trucks and supplies to Chechin terror leader Goliav and his 500 Chechins and Arabs, to leave Pankisi. In two months of Pankisi they capture 2 arabs...probably to stoned to get word to leave. Meanwhile Goliav with Shev's aid try to invade seccesionist S.Ossatia to go across border into N. Ossasstia and into Ingushia. Even Japanese Jihader killed on border. Shev play Americans for fools and try to play Russia and America off on each other, while pocketing cash and even give government offices to Chechin warlords....off of Na Bereznaya street, to west side of city. Set of 3 tall buildings, Chechins in center one.
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