| The Russian President's adviser, Aslambek Aslakhanov has discussed counter-terrorism issues with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. "We believe that it is necessary to unite our counter-terrorism efforts," Mr. Aslakhanov told journalists in Washington. According to him, his visits to the United States and Great Britain aimed at persuading western partners of the necessity to work out a legislative basis for joint fight against international terrorism. "Terrorists should know what is in store for them - life imprisonment or a death penalty. We should take active steps against those who have declared war on us," the presidential aide stressed. In his words, the possible extradition of Chechen emissaries Akhmed Zakayev and Ilyas Akhmadov (the latter was given political asylum in the U.S. and the former in the UK) was not on the agenda of his meetings in London and Washington. We did not discuss these issues, Aslambek Aslakhanov said. On his part, a representative of the Russian Federal Security Service who accompanied Mr. Aslakhanov said that Russian and American special services are constantly exchanging anti-terrorist information. |