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Chechen Republic
Ichkeria - Government
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29 Nov. 1996
PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF IN CHECHNYA. Terrorist
Shamil Basayev Intends To Run. Maria EISMONT. The
Presidential election campaign in Chechnya, which was officially
launched on November 27, has produced the first surprise:
Shamil Basayev intends to vie for the Presidency. Basayev
spoke on the local TV to promise to "prove in deed [his]
ability to both fight and build a peaceful life." His
election pledges include law enforcement in the republic and a
"fair distribution of the national wealth." The current
Chechen leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev has also stated his
intention to run. Aslan Maskhadov, head of and defense
minister in the coalition government, is "still
thinking," but is likely to join the race too. Another
possible aspirant for the Chechen Presidency is Ruslan
Khasbulatov, former Russian parliament Speaker. The former
head of the Chechen Administration, Doku Zavgayev said he
has "pondered things" and decided to stay out.
(Segodnya, November 28) BASAEV TO RUN
FOR CHECHEN PRESIDENT. Speaking on Chechen television on
26 November, field commander Shamil Basaev announced his candidacy
for the 27 January 1997 Chechen presidential elections... Also on
26 November, thousands of Chechens congregated in Grozny to
commemorate the second anniversary of the abortive attempt to
overthrow the Dudaev leadership... -- Liz Fuller
CHECHEN VICE
PREMIER SPEAKS IN MOSCOW. The committee of the State Duma of
the Russian Federation on geopolitical affairs held hearings
concerning the situation in the Chechen Republic to which it
invited Vice Premier of the Chechen coalition government Ruslan
Kutayev... In their statement the Chechen leaders also point
out the expediency of opening in Moscow a permanent mission of the
Chechen coalition government on the basis of the already existing Zavgayev
mission with the transferrence of the latter's property to that
mission... According to him, the coalition government, led by
Aslan Maskhadov, follows the Constitution of the Chechen Republic
of 1992, because the republic does not have any other
constitution... As to the Criminal Code of Chechnya, which was
earlier presented as the one based on the Sharia laws, it has
caused a lot of fantasies according to Kutayev. In fact, this Code
reflects the mentality of the Chechens; some articles have been
toughened, that is true, but not in accordance with the
Islamic-fundamentalist principle, but the Chechen-ethnic one...
Yet, Kutayev said that in Chechnya "there is no other sphere,
except the Russian legal basis" on which the government
relies... The Vice Premier also said that in the course of the war
in Chechnya over 100,000 civilians, including from 50,000 to
60,000 Russians, were killed in Chechnya... Not objecting openly
to the deployment of two brigades of federal troops in Chechnya,
Kutayev made it clear, however, that their presence could lead to
provocations and that this fact worries the Chechen leaders
because of the possibility of starting military operations
again... Kutayev said that some Western and Arab investors
expressed their readiness to take part in restoring the
republic... (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Oct. 25, 1996) THE GOVERNMENT IN
CHECHNYA IS MADE UP OF ... FIELD COMMANDERS [i.e. not alcoholists-
Ed.], RIA - 'Krasnaya Zvezda', September 25. RADUEV
RESURFACES; CHECHEN ROUNDUP. "Chechen field commander Salman
Raduev, who led the hostage-taking attack on Kizlyar in
January 1996, intends to run for mayor in Gudermes [was
appointed as mayor in 1992 --Ed.], the second largest town in
Chechnya"..."The new Chechen coalition government,
which includes three ministers from the government of
pro-Moscow Chechen head of state Doku Zavgaev [is professional
politician -- Ed.], will be comprised primarily of
economists rather than professional politicians"...(9
October. Liz Fuller, OMRI) Chechnya:
Maskhadov Agrees To Head Coalition Government, 17 October
1996 (RFE/RL) ..."Chechen separatist chief of staff Aslan
Maskhadov says he has agreed to head a provisional coalition
government in the breakaway republic"... Chechnya:
Parliamentary, Presidential Elections Scheduled For January [1996],
18 October 1996 (RFE/RL) ASLAN MASKHADOV
AGREES TO BE PRIME MINISTER Chechen separatists keep their
powder dry in case of defeat of Alexander Lebed's team in Moscow
Maria Eismont "Alexander Lebed is the man who was the first
to feel the real danger for Russia and wants to save the country
and the army from disgrace," said Maskhadov (Segodnya,
October 18.) THE GOVERNMENT OF
YANDARBIYEV AND THE "PRE-GOVERNMENT" OF PROFESSIONALS,
By L.Volodina (RIA). Having distributed the posts in the so-called
"coalition government of Chechnya for the transitional
period", yesterday's guerrillas have come to
face the real life problems on the eve of the
winter"..."The formation of the "government of
Yandarbiyev" is practically over: at the end of last week
Aslan Maskhadov was appointed its prime minister. However,
although the former [!] guerrillas call their
cabinet a "coalition government", this name certainly
does not suit it. The fact that there are several "independent
professionals" among its members does not change
the political orientation of the government, which means
that Moscow cannot treat it as an equal partner
across the board, so to speak"... "Moscow does
not make it a secret that, for one thing, the financing of
Chechnya will from now on depend not only on the
availability of money[!] for these purposes
(according to V.Mikhailov, there is no money at the moment[!]),
but also[... ] on the development of appropriate
mechanisms of financing and on the effectiveness of the work of
the joint commission". (Rossiiskiye Vesti, October 23)
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