SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSSES NORTHERN CAUCASUS SITUATION WITH PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Press Release
SG/SM/7216

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSSES NORTHERN CAUCASUS SITUATION WITH PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan on 13 November:

The Secretary-General, who is currently travelling in Japan, spoke at length by telephone with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation Saturday evening (Kyoto local time). They had a constructive conversation about the situation in the northern Caucasus, including Chechnya, and about the United Nations role in providing humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the internally displaced persons and other suffering civilians in the region. They agreed to keep in contact and to continue collaborating to address the situation.

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