05 August 2008, 12:40
Ichkeria ex-minister of defense to persuade separatists to return to Chechnya
On Sunday, August 3, Magomed Khambiyev (Khanbiyev), former Chechen MP and former defense minister of Ichkeria, went abroad for negotiations with representatives of separatist movement. He is going to try and persuade them to return to their motherland.
"GZT.ru" reports that Khambiyev has no official status in the Chechen authorities but his current visit has become possible thanks to the attitude of the Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov who wants all Chechens to return back to the republic.
Khambiyev stated that he would visit one of the West European countries and intended to return to Chechnya 10-12 days later, not alone but in the company of his brother Umar Khambiyev who also had been a minister in the Ichkeria government.
According to him, he had appointments with certain representatives of separatist authorities, but Khambiyev never mentioned, with whom. "I should not like to disclose the names yet, I can only say that these are not rank-and-file guys", said Khambiyev.
The Ichkeria ex-minister of defense thinks that there are Chechens who reside outside Russia but are not able or do not want to return to the republic because they do not know the current situation in Chechnya.
In his previous address to the leaders of separatists М.Khambiyev stated Chechens "have obtained the independence they have been fighting for all these years".
