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| Caucasus |
| Chechen president demands Maskhadov surrender and face trial |
| 2004-08-31 |
| The former policeman Alu Alkhanov capped the official announcement of his election as Chechnya's president yesterday by demanding that the separatist militant leader, Aslan Maskhadov, face trial and apologise to the Chechen people. Officials announced the predictable landslide victory yesterday of Mr Alkhanov, 47, as successor to Akhmad Kadyrov, who was assassinated in May. Turnout in the election was claimed to be 85%, and Mr Alkhanov was said in a preliminary count to have won 74% of the vote, Interfax reported. The election on Sunday was held under martial law with 17,000 troops patrolling the streets after an attack by militants the previous Saturday. Few voters could actually be seen, and, as in previous elections, allegations of ballot-rigging were rife. Mr Alkhanov's only serious opponent was barred from running. A US state department spokesman said the Chechen vote "did not meet international standards for a democratic election". Mr Alkhanov, a former interior minister, told the news agency Itar-Tass after hearing the initial results: "I feel an enormous burden of responsibility. I feel no euphoria. There is a clear understanding that a lot of hard work is ahead." Mr Maskhadov has vowed to kill the winner of the vote. Mr Alkhanov dismissed the idea of negotiations with Mr Maskhadov as "not necessary", according to Interfax yesterday. Mr Alkhanov pledged to revive the economy and create 150,000 new jobs. He added that he had "very friendly professional relations" with Ramzan Kadyrov, the son of the late president, whose private army rules much of Chechnya. Mr Alkhanov was installed to keep the supporters of Akhmad Kadyrov loyal to Moscow, yet the clan's key strongmen have reportedly begun to bicker. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 Mr Alkhanov pledged to revive the economy and create 150,000 new jobs blah, blah, blah… as if a any politician anywhere wouldn’t make that promise. It’s as meaningless as a 4th grader, running for class president, promising more time for recess and less homework. |
| Posted by: B 2004-08-31 7:41:00 AM |