(17 Nov 1999) Russian/Eng/Nat
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Chechnya do not yet constitute a humanitarian catastrophe.
But Sadako Ogata warned the fate of around 200-thousand refugees housed in Ingushetia could grow worse as the full force of the cold Russian winter begins to take its toll.
Ogata was speaking after a day of consultations with senior government officials in Moscow, including talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The U-N High Commissioner for Refugees arrived in Moscow on Wednesday on the first leg of her trip to examine the plight of refugees from the Russian offensive in Chechnya.
Sadako Ogata discussed the humanitarian issues growing out of the war with senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
He has accused the West of giving a distorted picture of events in Chechnya and insists the military campaign is aimed at destroying terrorists - not targetting civilians.
Ogata told Ivanov she had come to Russia to convey the United Nations' concern and the importance of caring for the civilian population of the breakaway region.
She added the U-N was preparing a plan to aid refugees from Chechnya through the depths of the Russian winter.
But the commissioner was treading a fine diplomatic line in her talks.
Russian leaders insists Chechnya should not be a major topic of discussion at the summit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (O-S-C-E) in Europe, which opens in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"We have nothing to hide. We are ready to inform fully both representatives of the U-N Secretary General and the international community about the real state of affairs because we have nothing to hide. Our policy is clear."
SUPER CAPTION: Igor Ivanov, Russian Foreign Minister
But the refugee exodus from war-torn Chechnya is continuing.
The Interfax news agency has reported the Russian authorities as estimating at least 211-thousand refugees have so far fled the fighting.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ogata had met Russia's Emergencies Minister, who denied there was a need for international help to deal with the refugees from Chechnya.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"There is no humanitarian catastrophe here. We are in a position to cope with this situation ourselves. If anyone in the West or others who are more upset than anyone else have the desire to help, then we will accept the help with thanks. But let me repeat again, Russia can cope with this situation itself."
SUPER CAPTION: Sergei Shoigu, Russian Emergencies Minister
Later in the day, Ogata held talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Following that meeting, she said the thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Chechnya did not yet constitute a humanitarian catastrophe.
But she warned that the fate of around 200-thousand Chechen refugees housed in neighbouring Ingushetia could grow worse as the full force of the cold Russian winter begins to take its toll.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The inter-agency mission of the United Nations agencies that went have come back and reported that the situation is difficult but it is not dire or catastrophic. But it can turn that way with the winter coming and this is why it is important that the humanitarian assistance, that we are prepared to bring in, come in quickly.
SUPER CAPTION: Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Russian government has given security guarantees for U-N workers in the Caucasus region.
But Ogata said there were still questions that needed to be answered.
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