Executive Committee of the Liberal International, 21 January 1995, Belfast
The Executive Committee of the Liberal International expresses its grave concern over the developments in Chechnya. It does not contest that the Russian Federation has the right to protect its territorial integrity within the framework of the Russian Constitution and of International Law and Human Rights and of the CSCE and other treaties to which the Russian Federation has bound itself.
The Russian involvement in Chechnya however constitutes a violation of the principles of the OSCE, of the stipulations of the Vienna Document 1992/1994 regarding Confidence and Security Building Measures of the CSCE and of the Human Rights Conventions of the UN. The use of force, the violation of Human Rights and the indiscriminate and unlimited use of military violence are indefensible. The military actions in Chechnya shake the confidence in the democratisation process in the Russian Federation.
The Liberal International deplores the loss of human lives and the suffering of the civilian population caused by the fighting in Chechnya, and supports all efforts to convince Russia to extend the dialogue within the OSCE and to use all possibilities offered by the OSCE to solve the conflict.
The Liberal International calls upon the Russian Government and the Chechen fighters to cease all hostilities immediately and unconditionally and to search for a political solution of the conflict, taking into account the interests of both Russia and the Chechen people.
Only such a solution can prevent serious jeopardy to the reform process, democratisation and stability of the entire region, and only a democratic Russia can be a close partner of the democratic countries.
The Liberal International reiterates its support for the Russian democrats, who support Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
Unless the problems are solved the Liberal International calls for the following measures:
