The European Union has moved next month's EU-Russia summit from Copenhagen to Brussels after the Russian president, Mr Vladimir Putin, accused Denmark of complicity with terrorism. Mr Putin said he would not go to Copenhagen after Denmark, which holds the EU presidency, refused to ban a two-day meeting of Chechen exiles in the city.
The meeting of about 100 people started as planned yesterday, despite Russian claims that it was aimed at raising money for terrorists. The Danish authorities insist there is no evidence to link the participants with terrorist violence.
Denmark's Prime Minister, Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said banning the meeting would be incompatible with respect for freedom of speech.
"The Russians indicated they would not come to the EU summit in Copenhagen and this is why my government has decided to move the venue from Copenhagen to Brussels. I am happy they have accepted," he said.
Moscow welcomed the new venue for the November 11th summit, but said Denmark's refusal to ban the Chechen congress raised doubts about future Russian-Danish relations.
"There cannot be freedom of the press, or any other freedom, for terrorists," a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said.
Mr Rasmussen rejected Russia's criticism and said his country was in the forefront of the fight against terrorism.
"If, as Russia alleges, a case can be made that participants in the meeting are involved in terrorism or pursue any other illegal activities, the government will take measures," he said.
Germany wants the EU to raise Russia's Chechen policy at next month's summit. The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schröder, has consistently argued the Chechen conflict requires a political, rather than a military solution.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana, said yesterday that the EU backed Russia's fight against terrorism, but urged Moscow to seek a negotiated solution to the Chechnya conflict.
"The position of the EU is very clear. First, condemnation of terrorism. We know there is no military solution and therefore there has to be some kind of political solution," he said.
