Former Chechen separatist leaders: Maskhadov was ready to lay down arms

On February 18, live on TV Channel "Grozny", former leaders of Chechen separatists told that Maskhadov was ready to sign an agreement on Chechnya's accession into Russia and placement of Russian military bases in the territory of Chechnya, while Berezovsky kept funding militants.

In the evening on February 18, live on TV Channel "Grozny", in the programme named "Footholds", President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov held debates on the topic "Development prospects of the Chechen republic". The discussion that lasted for more than four hours, involved former prominent figures of separatist movement, representatives of ex-president of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov and current leader of militants in Northern Caucasus Dokku Umarov, former field commanders and amnestied militants.

In the course of debates, opened by Ramzan Kadyrov's appeal "to say the truth only", a number of sensational statements were made.

One of resonant statements was made by Ayub Khataev, former Aslan Maskhadov's adviser.

"In the last months of Maskhadov's life, I was close to him, and I was a deep believer in the idea of liberation movement that he professed, until I became witness of leaders' treachery. In October 2004, Maskhadov received a draft agreement that assumed signing a document with Russia on Ichkeria's accession to the Russian Federation," said Mr Khataev. "Maskhadov showed me the letter; it was already signed by Shamil Basaev, Vakha Arsanov and Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. Maskhadov said that only his signature was missing. I was amazed with Maskhadov's readiness to agree to these conditions, and then I understood all the falsity of their ideas and hypocrisy of the leaders who kept sending young people to die."

The fact that such project was really considered was confirmed by Magomed Khambiev, ex-minister of defence of Ichkeria. However, Khambiev asserted that it was him who dissuaded Maskhadov from signing the offered document.

Also Khambiev stated that the then Secretary of Russian Security Council Boris Berezovsky was sponsoring the well-known terrorist Shamil Basaev.

"I personally witnessed delivery by Berezovsky of one million dollars to Basaev," said Magomed Khambiev and added that it happened in Ingushetia, soon after the end of the first military campaign in Chechnya. According to his version, when he asked Basaev, what such great sum of money was for, the latter had allegedly answered that he had threatened to kill Berezovsky if he had not paid.

"Movladi Udugov had launched the "Kavkaz" TV Channel for money of that very Berezovsky and shocked the world by showing chopped off heads of four foreigners, aiming to blacken the Chechen people before the whole world," Mr Khambiev has noted.

The participants of the TV debates called the youth not to give in to propaganda and withhold taking arms. Also, it was offered to participants of armed formations to give up the "disastrous way" and come back to peaceful life.

"I pulled militants out of the woods, although the whole world accused me of doing it. What did I do it for? To unite the nation. It was the period of hard trial for the Chechen people, it was necessary to consolidate the society," said Ramzan Kadyrov in his speech. "We repeatedly entered into fight, but I had no desire to kill them. I wanted to bring them back to proper track. Most of the youth were deceived by false and mean leaders, who, understanding perfectly that it was not the road of jihad, involved them in war and doomed them to destruction."

Revelations of former separatist leaders live on air became a surprise to many people. According to some of them, after watching yesterday's TV debates they were shocked.

"When the programme began, I thought it would be just another endless talk on different topics," said Maret, a resident of Grozny, who had lost her son and three nephews in the two military campaigns, "but what I heard had literally shocked me. They called our kids to die, but negotiated capitulation behind their backs! What was the sense to war and doom the nation to such sufferings?"