Pro-Moscow Chechen PM denies ambitions to be president

Text of report by Chechen GTRK Vaynakh TV on 14 December

[Presenter] Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov held a news conference for local and foreign journalists today. The foreign guests were impressed with positive changes in the republic in a short period of time. Akhmed Susuyev has details.

[Correspondent] Foreign journalists started the news conference pleasantly. The first question was about achievements. You have restored so much during a year, when are you planning to complete [restoration], they asked. Kadyrov replied that the programme "no signs of war" would be completed in three years and the republic would be the most beautiful region of the Russian Federation.

A Swiss correspondent asked about construction projects, whereas his Japanese colleague was more concerned about Kadyrov's relations with Moscow and personally with President [Vladimir] Putin.

[Kadyrov] I do [indistinct] him because he is the only man who today can [changes tack] Russia is great and mighty and only President Putin and his team can maintain this.

[Correspondent] There were questions about the killing of [Russian journalist] Anna Politkovskaya and the Kadyrovites movement. Do you like it? No, Kadyrov replied firmly. Our enemies say this. Who are your enemies, he was asked. This question should be put to [exiled Russian tycoon Boris] Berezovskiy and [director of the national information service under the rebel State Defence Committee - Majlis ul-Shura, Movladi] Udugov, Kadyrov replied. In passing, he advised that [rebel foreign minister Akhmed] Zakayev returns to his theatre [Zakayev used to be an actor].

Incidentally, he did not even use the word "to kill" when speaking about Anna Politkovskaya.

[Kadyrov] Politkovskaya was not saying or writing anything. She did not have anything to write about. She used to write bad things about my father [late pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov]. It I had wanted, I would have done something bad to her at that time. I never fight journalists. That is their job. In addition, she is a female and a mother. It would have been better if she had stayed at home to keep household. But that was her destiny. What can we do? The Almighty is the judge.

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