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KREMLIN DENIES U.S. ACCUSATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE IN CHECHNYA

MOSCOW, January 11. /RIA Novosti/ - Moscow has denied U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher's allegations that the Russian federal forces used "overwhelming force against civilian targets" in a recent raid on Chechnya's third largest city, Argun.

Commenting on Boucher's allegations, the Russian President's Information Department said these must have been made on the basis of "distorted, unverified information carried by the American press." Thus, for instance, Los Angeles Times, referring to Russia's Memorial human rights organization, cited statistics according to which dozens of civilians had been killed in the Argun crackdown. And The Washington Post, referring to another Russian watchdog, Glasnost, reported on 200 civilian casualties.

As he commented on the State Department spokesman's pronouncements, Chechen Prosecutor Vsevolod Chernov said he had been taken aback by the criticism of the Russian federal troops for their "use of overwhelming force" in Chechnya and by reports about hundreds or dozens of slain civilians in that secessionist province. He claimed he had personally monitored the Argun operation.

According to Chernov, no other weapons than firearms and grenade launchers were used in Argun. The federals employed warplanes exclusively for reconnaissance purposes, he said.

Chernov said the police had received six complaints from local citizens in the course of the Argun operation. An investigation was launched on one of them.

Of the 70 persons detained in Argun on suspicion of belonging to illegal armed formations, five detainees are currently being checked up on, while the rest have been released, the Chechen Prosecutor reported.

Chernov said he didn't know what to make of the American media's reference to Memorial. He cooperates closely with this human rights organization, but has not received any statements from its representatives as of yet.

For his part, Chechen Premier Stanislav Ilyasov said, as he commented on Boucher's statement, that "administration officials and local elders had an opportunity to monitor the [Argun] operation." Heat and water supplies were never disrupted and traffic circulation resumed in full as early as January 10, he reported.

"Our own experience in Chechnya and the United States' experience in Afghanistan show how difficult it may be to hunt down terrorists without inflicting any casualties on non-combatants," remarked officials at the Russian President's Information Department. Nonetheless, this is what both Russia and the United States seek, department officials said in conclusion, expressing regret over the tone of Mr. Boucher's pronouncements against Russia.