Istanbul - World leaders ended a 54-nation European security summit yesterday by calling for a political settlement with international help in Chechnya and accepting that conflicts in one state are the legitimate concern of all.
They called for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe to have both a political and a humanitarian role in Chechnya - a major concession by Russia, which had previously rejected any outside involvement in its seven-week military campaign. "We agree that a political solution is essential and that the assistance of the OSCE would contribute to achieving that goal . . . We welcome the agreement of the Russian Federation to a visit by the (OSCE) Chairman in Office to the region," the declaration said.
Attempting to increase pressure on Russia to end its operation in Chechnya, Mr Clinton said in a statement he would delay sending the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty to the Senate for ratification until Moscow had reduced troop levels.
