Russia demands return of Chechen separatist

RUSSIA IS demanding the extradition of an exiled Chechen separatist leader who has been detained in Poland on its request, straining a tentative rapprochement between Moscow and Warsaw.

Akhmed Zakayev, an actor who became a rebel leader during Chechnya’s fight for independence from Moscow in the 1990s, handed himself over to Polish prosecutors yesterday after arriving in Poland for a conference to push the restive region’s bid for sovereignty.

“I expect nothing that would violate the rule of law,” Mr Zakayev said outside the prosecutor’s office. “Poland is a democratic and sovereign country. When I learned there will be no trouble, I just came.”

Mr Zakayev was granted political asylum by Britain in 2003 and is based in London, where the authorities have rejected Russian requests for his extradition.

Denmark also refused similar demands from Moscow after detaining Mr Zakayev during a conference there.

The urbane Mr Zakayev is critical of radical Chechen rebels who have become increasingly influenced by Islamist extremism, and represents a more moderate strand of the separatist movement, which wants talks with Moscow. He is a friend of actor Vanessa Redgrave, who campaigned on his behalf and paid his bail when he was arrested in London.

Mr Zakayev (51) and his supporters are confident Poland will release him once it has fulfilled the basic legal obligations entailed by the international arrest warrant issued by Moscow.

“I don’t think Russia has presented any new information [to Polish authorities],” Mr Zakayev said. “Everything they have has already been considered twice by courts in Denmark and Britain. However, if it is necessary, and if Polish authorities decide that these questions should be considered by a Polish court, I am ready for such a turn of events.”

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk suggested that his country would not extradite Mr Zakayev, despite the potential damage such a decision might do to its gradually warming ties with Russia, whose president Dmitry Medvedev is due to visit Warsaw later this year.

“According to international law, Poland must undertake some actions in this regard, but that does not mean we will be fulfilling Russia’s wishes,” Mr Tusk said.

“What is in the hands of the government, the state apparatus, will be carried out in line with Poland’s national interest and according to our values and sense of decency – not in line with anybody’s wishes.”