ACPC Denounces Hostage Taking, Calls for Political Dialogue
October 24, 2002, 5:47 p.m. EDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chris Swift, (202) 296-5101 x134

The American Committee for Peace in Chechnya today condemned the hostage taking in Moscow and called on gunmen and Russian officials to find a non-violent resolution to the crisis.

"This is a tragedy for Russians and Chechens alike," said Executive Director Glen E. Howard, "We call on the gunmen to release the hostages, and hope that both sides can resolve this stand-off without any further violence."

The Committee also noted that it had received an official statement from representatives of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov denying any involvement in the hostage crisis.

"The Government of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov decisively condemns any violent action directed against Russian civilians," reads the statement, "We reject the use of terrorist methods for solving any problem."

The Moscow hostage crisis comes after weeks of speculation in the Russian and Western media that both Russian and Chechen officials may be considering a return to the negotiating table. Howard noted that the crisis should not derail constructive efforts to end to the war.

"The hostage crisis underscores the urgent need for a negotiated settlement in a war that has now entered its fourth year and shows no signs of ending," noted Howard. "We hope Chechen and Russian leaders will not allow terrorists and other extremists to control the political agenda."

"A careful resolution of the hostage crisis could be an important step towards future negotiations," Howard said.

Founded in 1999, the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya (ACPC) is a bipartisan coalition of distinguished Americans dedicated to promoting a peaceful end to the war in Chechnya. It is based at the Washington, DC offices of Freedom House.