Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, August 04, 2003
Chechnya's Acting President to Run for Regional Presidency
Acting president of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Akhmad Kadyrov,on Sunday declared his intention to take part in the regional presidential elections scheduled for Oct. 5, the Interfax news agency reported.
Acting president of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Akhmad Kadyrov,on Sunday declared his intention to take part in the regional presidential elections scheduled for Oct. 5, the Interfax news agency reported.
"I am firmly determined...to become president and once and for all with the help of the people of the republic and the federal center to free Chechen earth from war and suffering," he told a meeting with religious leaders from Chechnya and neighboring regions in the village of Tsentoroi in Chechnya's Gudermes district.
Kadyrov said he felt obliged to Chechen people "to revive Chechnya and eradicate the roots of crisis that keeps taking humanlives."
"I can't just sit back and watch Chechnya plunging into chaos for the sake of my own peace," he said.
Kadyrov's announcement came two days after an explosives-packedtruck rammed through the gate of a hospital in Mozdok in North Ossetia, a republic neighboring Chechnya, and exploded near the management building on Friday. At least 50 were killed and other 82 injured in the attack, according to Itar-Tass.
The Kremlin named Kadyrov Chechnya's civil administrator in 2000. Kadyrov became acting president of the republic in a referendum in March.
Presidential elections in Chechnya are scheduled for Oct. 5. Sofar, eight candidates have been registered, said Buivasari Arsakhanov, deputy head of the Chechen Election Commission.