Chechen rebels open two new fronts in response to Moscow's "amnesty" offer

Text of report by Chechen news agency Daymohk website

19 July: In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate.

In connection with the publication by the Foreign Ministry of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria [CRI] of the manifesto "For peace in Chechnya", which caused mixed reaction and different speculations, including about the sovereignty of the CRI, the CRI president's administration recalls that in line with the CRI Constitution, the state sovereignty and independence of the CRI are indivisible and unshakable and do not relate to powers of bodies of state authorities.

Any actions casting a doubt on the state sovereignty of the CRI or any attempts to discuss the CRI's sovereignty are a crime against the state.

The fact that some formulations in the manifesto were not thought out gave rise to different speculations and an incorrect interpretation of the official position of the CRI leadership on issues of war and peace.

In this connection, we recall that the CRI leadership has clearly identified its position on this issue.

The CRI leadership does not intend to offer peace and talks to the aggressor until realistic conditions are ripe for this and the opposing side proves that it is ready for peace.

The CRI president's administration also recalls that the Great Majlis ul-Shura of the CRI was held in the summer of 2002, attended by representatives of all branches of power ([former] CRI President Aslan Maskhadov, CRI Parliament Chairman Dardail Khiryayev, members of parliament, members of the government, the leadership of the Supreme Shariah Court and commanders of the fronts and sectors of the CRI Armed Forces), public organizations and jamaats [communities]. A number of amendments and additions were made to the CRI Constitution during the six weeks of the work of the Great Majlis ul-Shura (Constitutional Assembly). Following these amendments, Article 1 of the CRI Constitution says:

"The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is a sovereign, independent, Islamic and law-governed state established as a result of the self-determination of the Chechen people. The source of all decisions made are the Koran and Sunna."

Thus, any actions of the CRI leadership on all issues of war and peace will emanate from Article 1 of the CRI Constitution and be based on the said provision in the CRI Constitution.

The CRI president's administration officially states that all statements by Moscow on "end of war", on the so-called "amnesty", appeals to the Chechen Armed Forces and the Forces of Caucasus Mojahedin "to lay down arms" and other propagandist speculations are yet another unpromising attempt by the Kremlin regime to cover the actual state of affairs both in Ichkeria and in the Caucasus as a whole with a lie.

The CRI Armed Forces and the Forces of the Caucasus Front are organized and confident as never before. A decree by the CRI president has established two new fronts - the Ural and Volga fronts. This is actually the response of the CRI leadership and the Caucasus mojahedin to the calls "to lay down arms" and "amnesty".

[signed] The CRI president's administration