Refugees in Pankissi Gorge do not trust Russian officials

An official delegation from Chechnya is expected to visit the Pankissi Gorge, Georgia on December 19. However chairman of the Chechen International Human Rights Committee Aslanbek Abdurzakov has announced that the majority of Chechen refugees "don't feel a strong desire" to meet with the delegation. "Refugees understand that the Russian side won't give any guarantees to them, and therefore they won't take promises of the delegation members seriously," the Prima news agency quoted Mr Abdurzakov as saying.

On December 17, the head of Chechnya's Itum-Kale district administration, the Chechen deputy interior minister, and representatives of the Russian Emergencies Ministry visited the village of Duisi in the Pankissi Gorge. But refugees from Chechnya who live there refused to meet with them. The delegation intended to offer the refugees to return to Chechnya and offer them compensation payments, reported a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

Earlier, President of Chechnya Alu Alkhanov announced that Chechnya was ready to receive refugees living in the Pankissi Gorge in Georgia. Displaced persons from Chechnya appeared in Georgia in late 1990s. 2,610 Chechen refugees have gotten refugee certificates in Georgia in 2004.