Draft

Draft SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA RESOLUTION November 16, 1999 Vilnius CONCERNING THE WAR IN CHECHNYA Russia has broken the commitment assumed before the Council of Europe in January, 1996 to terminate its military actions and human rights violations in Chechnya. Moreover, it does not adhere to the principles of the agreement between Russia and Chechnya, dated August 31, 1996 “Concerning the Fundamentals of Principles of Mutual Relations Between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Chechnya,” by which the parties have acknowledged the standards of international law as the basis of relations between them, and the agreement signed on May 12, 1997, “Concerning the Principles of Peace and Mutual Relations,” between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkerya, under which the parties also assumed a commitment not to resort to the use of force and to resolve all problems through negotiations. According to the reports of mass media information and the claims by the political figures of many countries, Russia fails to adhere to additional protocols of Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, concerning the protection of victims of armed conflicts and is in violation of the November 19, 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty concerning the limits of arms in the Northern Caucasus Region. Currently, military actions are particularly unrestrained, while the massive expulsion of people from their homeland, is too reminiscent of the Belgrade regime actions in Kosovo. It is a planned mass violation of human rights and an imposition of collective responsibility upon the entire nation. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania holds that the Russian leadership should condemn the actions of its military against the civilian population and put an end to the total destruction of Chechnya. Of particular concern are the attempts to destroy the lawful institutions of government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkerya and also, incitement of chauvinist, extremist and militarist sentiments in Russia, which distance it from the peaceful path of democratic development. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania notes that an increasing number of states and international organisations are becoming concerned over the bloodshed in Chechnya, the destruction of its cities and villages and the suffering of a multitude of the homeless war refugees. In a letter signed by twelve prominent US senators, President Bill Clinton is urged to demand at the OSCE Summit in Istambul, that Russia terminate military actions in Chechnya immediately and introduce a cease fire. This constitutes a complex problem, meriting speedy deliberation and assessment during the OSCE summit in Istanbul. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania supports the Resolution by the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, dated November 4, 1999, which calls upon the Russian authorities to put a halt to military action in Chechnya, to refrain from any acts in violation of human rights and to initiate a peaceful dialogue with the democratically-elected Chechnyan President, Aslan Maskhadov. Both parties in the conflict should strive towards a peaceful solution of this problem. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania authorises its Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to actively support efforts to implement the provisions of this resolution. CHAIRMAN OF THE SEIMAS VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS OF THE REPUBLC OF LITHUANIA