Moscow, Nov 25: A leading Chechen warlord's threats to stage more attacks against Russian targets will only help unite Moscow and Western nations in the fight against terrorism, a top Kremlin spokesman said today.
Chechen rebel commander Shamil Basayev warned of possible new attacks against Russia in a statement published by a German newspaper yesteray, a threat aimed at forcing Russia to launch a peace process.
Basayev also called on NATO to put pressure on Moscow, while threatening that all "military, economic and strategic" sites within Russia would become targets should talks on ending the three-year war not begin any time soon. But the Kremlin's response today was categorical, with the top spokesman on the Chechnya campaign, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, saying Basayev's threat will only unite Russia and NATO in fighting against the threats emanating from Chechnya.

"Basayev's statement made to NATO nations, in which he once again threatens terrorist acts, will only work in favor of even closer cooperation between Russia and NATO in the fight against international terrorism," Interfax quoted the spokesman as saying.



Basayev, who has claimed responsibility for the siege in a Moscow theater last month in which 129 hostages lost their lives, called on NATO countries to push Russia back to the negotiating table.


Bureau Report