Transcript of Putin's Press Conference

[Moderator] And is there someone here from Radio Liberty? Your question, please.

[Question] Esteemed Vladimir Vladimirovich. Indeed much has been said that is interesting. I shall not get into polemics on the subject of the possibility of Russian radio stations broadcasting in the United States. As I understand it, no such official request has been made, though I'm sure it will all be fine. As for -

[Putin, interrupting] Can that be regarded as your official response?

[Question] Well, as our wish, at least.

[Putin, laughing] Well, that is our wish, too.
 

No changes planned in Chechnya policy

[Question] Good. I'd like to ask a question about Chechnya. In view of the numerous reports of human rights violations and instances of illegal actions by servicemen don't you consider it necessary to change your approach to settling the Chechen problem? That's the first question. And the second is this: What is your view of the efforts Boris Berezovskiy is making to create an opposition to you and of his forecast that you will soon be out of office? Thank you.

[Putin] Who is this Boris Berezovskiy? [laughter and applause in hall] He is always referring to himself as former secretary of the Security Council, then as former something-else-or-other. And now former who? Former State Duma deputy? - that's something people have forgotten too. So - I've known Boris Abramovich for a long time. He's an irrepressible and indefatigable person. He is constantly appointing someone or removing someone. So let him get on with it. This is no bad thing really, no bad thing. It's like those fishes - while some are dozing there have to be others to nudge them awake. So it's not a bad thing. If he manages to dig up something we're doing wrong and make it public we should only be grateful to him for that, because that serves as a corrective for our performance. So it's not bad. He's not a stupid person. Let him keep digging.

As for Chechnya, the question is much more serious and I will try to give a serious answer to it. You know, I have talked a lot about this topic and you are probably familiar with what I said. I would now like to approach it at a different angle. Representatives of the mass media from Arab countries know that we are witnessing certain radicalization of the Moslem world, and many leaders of Islamic countries are greatly concerned about it, both in the countries of the former Soviet Union and also our counterparts and friends in some countries further away. One of the extensions of this radicalization has penetrated the North Caucasus.

You have just mentioned Chechnya. As a matter of fact, what was it that Chechnya found unacceptable in 1999? After all, it was given a de facto full state independence. What prompted some armed people to invade the territory of Dagestan and to demand that additional territories be torn away from the Russian Federation, from the Caspian to the Black sea, and united states of Islam be formed. Was it prompted by the need to fight for the independence of Chechnya? We all clearly understand that it is complete nonsense. It has nothing to do with the interests of the Chechen people. But having understood this once, having understood that this territory could be used as a bridgehead for attacking the Russian Federation, for rocking the Russian Federation, Russia will not go into this river again for a second time.

In any case, it would be an absolutely unforgivable mistake. There is no doubt at all that we ought to respect the views and the mood of the Chechen people. However, we must not allow ourselves to be cheated, as the radicals are trying to do. They are endeavouring to pass off their own fundamentalist ambitions and goals as the interests of the Chechen people and when we fight against them, they assert that we are fighting against Chechnya and its population. Some people lap it up, either consciously, or without understanding the essence of the events taking place there. So, this is what my approach consists of and I have no intention of changing it.

[Question, off the microphone] You did not answer the question. Could you please answer the question?

[Putin] What exactly didn't you understand in my reply?

[Question, off the microphone] You completely ignored the question.

[Putin] I was asked whether I would change my attitudes or not. I said no. What didn't you like in my reply? Could you pass over the microphone to her and let the colleague formulate the question. Please, go ahead.

[Question] Can I ask you a question?

[Putin] Of course, I asked for the microphone to be passed to you.

[Question] Could you please explain why the recent combing operations did take place in Chechnya, in Assinovskaya and Sernovodsk? Can you explain how they help, why do you need them?

[Putin] Yes, I can. One of the tactics of radical fundamentalists that are still trying to operate on Chechen territory is to deliver terrorist attacks against the federal forces, on the one hand, and, on the other, to attempt to provoke a response attack and put the local population under this attack in order to rouse the local population against the federal authorities.

Well, the so-called combing operations which you have mentioned essentially boil down to passport checks and measures to identity the people who are on the federal wanted list. I am not sure that the federal authorities always succeed in not yielding to the provocations staged by fighters. I have been saying this repeatedly and I can repeat this again: all that is being done against the law and against civilians should be exposed and those guilty should be punished.

As you know, full-scale arbitrariness reigned in the Chechen republic before 1999. People were executed in squares and decapitated, and you should know this perfectly well. Thank God, or thank Allah, we have put a stop to this. At least say thank you to us for this. This is the first thing.

Second. A judicial system has almost completely been restored there. Courts and prosecutor's offices have started functioning there, as well as notary offices and other services of the Justice Ministry.

Of course, after so many years of disorder and in conditions of continuing terrorist acts, it is almost impossible to restore order and create an effectively functioning system there overnight. But we will be doing this persistently. We will prosecute both the fighters who kill people, including their own compatriots - [changes tack] You know that one year ago they were telling us that we would not find a single Chechen on the territory of Chechnya who would support the efforts of the federal authorities. Do you know that fighters have already killed 40 heads of District administrations and imams, who are old people? Why don't you ask me about this? Why don't you ask me how we are fighting against these criminals? If they [administration heads and imams] have been killed it means that there are people from among Chechens who support us. Has this logic ever come to your mind? I invite you to think about this.

Well, I would like to repeat that, unfortunately, in conditions when a whole generation has grown up in the absence of any law, of course it is quite difficult to put things right overnight. But we will persistently – I reiterate this - fight against rebels who violate the law and also those who respond to their provocations. You know that a lot of criminal cases have been opened there, including against servicemen. Some of the cases have been widely covered in the media. This is also well known. So this is my answer.

[Moderator] Thank you. I would ask the esteemed guests to stop getting into the way of their colleagues and prevent them from asking their questions. Thank you. More questions please.