Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 5 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 13 June 2003. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Friday, 13 June 2003 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Russia (a) regarding the rights of Chechens to take refuge in Ingushetia and (b) to ensure that war-affected civilians will not be forcibly repatriated.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Russia (a) regarding the rights of Chechens to take refuge in Ingushetia and (b) to ensure that war-affected civilians will not be forcibly repatriated. [118421] Mr. MacShane: Both bilaterally and through the EU, we have repeatedly reminded the Russian Government of their obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, stressing that all movement by internally displaced persons (IDPs) must be strictly voluntary. We have also stated that the dismantling of shelters, or the suspension of food, water and energy supplies, in our view constituted a forced return. The policy of enforcing the return of IDPs from Ingushetia to Chechnya appears to have been reconsidered as a result of the representations made.

Secondary information