Russia’s interdepartmental group that is to call off Chechen refugees from Pankiss Gorge has set to work in Georgia.
Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov
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Chechen Refugees Called Off from Pankiss Gorge
Russia’s interdepartmental group that is to call off Chechen refugees from Pankiss Gorge has set to work in Georgia. It is the third time that Moscow attempts to wind up a camp of Russian refugees outside Russia. For this purpose, Moscow has even brought momentum to half-frozen relations with Tbilisi.
It is not the first visit of Russia’s delegation to Georgia. In the fall of 2005, they managed to bring back roughly 300 and another 300 were called back in a year. But today’s visit appears the most complicated one. The relations of Russia and Georgia have been half-frozen recently, while the tour of Russians to Pankiss Gorge requires not only the sanctions of Georgia but also protection of Georgian Interior Ministry.
In Georgian Ministry for Refugee Affairs, they knew nothing about the visit but told that Pankiss Gorge hosts around 1,600 Russians and Russian officials arrive to evacuate them from time to time.
But spokesmen of Russia’s embassy in Georgia said they met all required formalities and faced no problems actually. The Georgians even promised to ensure safety of the Russians in time of working in the gorge.
The members of delegation are representatives of Russia’s Federal Migration Service, including its branch for Chechnya, and officials of Chechen Interior Ministry. The task of the latter is most vital – they will check whether the refugees were once the residents of Chechnya.
According to Russia’s officials, Pankiss Gorge hosts no more than 150 to 200 refugees of Russia, while Georgia counts the Chechen-Kistints, most of whom are the natives of Pankiss Gorge, and therefore, are Georgia's residents.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 31, 2007
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