The Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, heard tough criticism from fellow members of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg yesterday over human rights abuses in Chechnya. However, a proposal to remove voting rights from Russian members of the council's parliamentary assembly was defeated by 83 votes to 71.
Instead, the assembly called on Russia to "stop immediately all indiscriminate and disproportionate military action in Chechnya . . . and to cease all attacks against the civilian population". If Russia fails to meet this requirement before the assembly's next session - in April - the council is now empowered to review Russia's membership of the council. This proposal was carried overwhelmingly.
Opinion is sharply divided here as to whether the proposal is a meaningless slap on the wrist, or an effective form of pressure. Russia certainly values its membership of the council, but yesterday's delayed threat is unlikely to provide any immediate relief to Chechen civilians.
"The people of Grozny are living a nightmare," the proposer of the motion, Lord Judd, told the assembly. He then gave an indication as to why the council could do little to end the "deeply disturbing" horrors he had witnessed in Chechna. The Chechen war, he said, "is a symptom of something more profound, of a disturbing new Russian nationalism in what is still a nuclear power. History will judge us harshly if we fan the flames of this new nationalism. We must open up our relationship with Russia, not close it down."
The council clearly needs to maintain its credibility as Europe's guardian of human rights by taking some action against Russia. But it also needs to keep one its most powerful members on board.
The gulf between the Russians and the other council members was highlighted by Mr Ivanov.
He said that, since the Russian constitution had been abandoned by the Chechen rebels, "no human rights exist there, you cannot even talk about it. Russia is defending the borders of Europe against international terrorism. Unlike the civilised world, these bandits are united, from central Asia to the Caucasus."