UNHCR chief in talks on Chechnya refugees

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(17 Jan 2002) • • 1. Exterior Ministry for Emergency Situations (MES) of Russia • 2. Sign Ministry for Emergency Situations • 3. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ruud Lubbers walks in, greets MES officials • 4. Camera • 5. Round-table shot of Lubbers and MES officials • 6. Lubbers • 7. Round-table • 8. Lubbers at front of press briefing • 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ruud Lubbers, UNHCR • I was there (Ingushetia) yesterday. It was nice weather, so the situation was less difficult than normal. But, I enormously appreciate the humanitarian work there and the hospitality by the people of Ingushetia giving shelter, food and assisting the people of their neighbouring country. • 10. Cut away Journalist • 11. Lubbers at front of press briefing • 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ruud Lubbers, UNHCR • The process of building confidence so that the people have the courage to go home will need more than the situation of today. (We need) Less military people of the Federation, more Chechen police taking care themselves for their own security in the country. (pauses while translator speaks) • 13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ruud Lubbers, UNHCR • We are now ready to start the repatriation of many refugees who are now in Iran and Pakistan in millions. This will take years. And, we will see together what are the areas where we can cooperate achieving that. • 14. Officials leave press briefing • • STORYLINE: • • The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers on Thursday started a round of talks with Russian officials in Moscow aimed at resolving the plight of Chechen refugees languishing in camps in the republic of Ingushetia. • • The talks came one day after Lubbers toured Ingushetia refugee camps, where displaced people from Chechnya are spending their third winter. • • On Thursday morning, Lubbers met with officials from the Emergency Situations Ministry and with Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov, who is in charge of Russia's police and several troop units in Chechnya. • • Talking to journalists after the meeting, Lubbers acknowledged the dire conditions in the camps and thanked Russian humanitarian workers for providing vital assistance to the refugees. • • He added that the crucial talks are aimed at building up the confidence of the refugees so they will deem it safe to return to their homes in Chechnya. • • Lubbers insisted that ethnic Chechen -- not Russian -- police should carry the responsibility of enforcing order in the republic. • • Touching on the subject of Afghan refugees living in Iran and Pakistan, Lubbers said that the UNHCR and the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations will cooperate in helping refugees to go back home to Afghanistan. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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