Chechen President Wants To Meet Diaspora In Brussels

Alkhanov said he will not meet with exiled separatists who are wanted in Russia (file photo) (AFP) 30 November 2005 -- Chechnya's pro-Russian president, Alu Alkhanov, says he plans to travel to Brussels soon to meet representatives of the Chechen diaspora.
Alkhanov told Russia's Interfax news agency today that he wants to start a dialogue with Chechens abroad who are not involved in "unleashing the war."

He said that he wants to tell them "the truth about what is happening in Chechnya" and that "Chechnya's doors are open to them."

Alkhanov did not name any of the people with whom he planned to talk. Earlier this week, he suggested he could meet with some exiled separatists, but not those who are wanted in Russia.

A presidential spokesman in Grozny told Agence France Presse that Alkhanov will visit Brussels on 15 December.

(Interfax/AFP)