MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov believes it is necessary to combine political and military measures to achieve a successful settlement in Chechnya.
"I strongly believe that in order to resolve the crisis in Chechnya, it is necessary to work in two areas: a political settlement and the fight against terrorism," he told a news conference in Moscow on Monday.
A referendum will be held in Chechnya in March 2003, on the future political system and the constitution of the republic, Ivanov said.
"The second part is the fight against terrorism, which we have been conducting for eight years already. There is no doubt that there are foreign mercenaries and international centers providing financial assistance to them in Chechnya. There are also locals who fight and carry out explosions and terrorist acts in Chechnya," Ivanov said.
Ivanov said he disapproves of some foreign politicians' use of the policy of double standards on Chechnya. "If we consider people who carry out terrorist acts in Chechnya to be fighters for freedom and those who conduct terrorist acts in Bali and other regions as terrorists, we will not make much progress in our fight against international terrorism," he said,.
"There are some countries that say they are ready to take part in the anti-terrorist coalition, but in reality enable international terrorists to 'nestle' on their territory," Ivanov said.