US Confirms Meeting Between US, Chechen Officials

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 25, 2002

US Confirms Meeting Between US, Chechen Officials

The United States confirmed Thursday that its officials met in Washington with the so-called "foreign minister" of the Russian republic of Chechnya on Wednesday.

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The United States confirmed Thursday that its officials met in Washington with the so-called "foreign minister" of the Russian republic of Chechnya on Wednesday.

"State Department officials yesterday met with Mr. Ilyas Akhmadov for a discussion on the situation in Chechnya. As in the past, the meeting was at office-director level," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.

He said the United States recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Chechnya and did not meet Akhmadov "in any official capacity, but as an individual with particular insights into the Chechen conflict."

"This is one of a great number of contacts we have had with many individuals, both public and private, as part of our efforts to encourage a peaceful settlement to the conflict," he added.

Russian Foreign Minister on Thursday criticized the meeting between U.S. officials and Akhmadov as "an unfriendly step."

"Such contacts, no matter what the justification is, cannot be seen as anything other than an unfriendly step towards Russia, contradicting the spirit of cooperation and partnership of both countries in acting against international terrorism," a ministry statement said.

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