Andrews warns Russia it risks isolation

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, yesterday warned Russia it was in danger of isolating itself from the democratic international community if it continued to use force disproportionately and indiscriminately in Chechnya.

Mr Andrews was in Moscow as chairman of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers to meet the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, over concerns of Russian human rights violations in Chechnya.

Mr Andrews has not been able to fly on to Chechnya, due to what a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman called "logistical" reasons. He denied claims that Moscow had refused to provide facilities for a visit by Mr Andrews, who is flying on to Sarajevo and then Pristina, the Kosovan capital, on Monday.

The Russians are facilitating a visit to Chechnya next week by the president of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, the British Liberal Lord Russell Johnston.

Speaking in Moscow after his meeting with Mr Ivanov, Mr Andrews said the safety of civilians was of paramount importance.

"I urged that all hostilities must cease," he said. "Only then can Russia meet her international obligations as a member-state of the Council of Europe."

Russia's controversial accession to the Strasbourg-based council three years ago required full adherence to the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights. It will face pressure in the plenary session later this month, which will be addressed by Mr Andrews and Mr Ivanov.

While some member-states may wish to suspend its parliamentary rights or go even further, Ireland and the majority think it is better to have Russia inside the council facing opprobrium than outside beyond the reach of pressure.

Mr Andrews yesterday pressed the Russian government to accept a role for the council once the fighting was over - the creation of a human rights ombudsman and a representative conference on democracy in the region.

Mr Andrews was also understood to have assured Mr Ivanov that the council does not question Russia's right to protect its territorial integrity, but to have warned that a military solution would not work.