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Bid to ease anger Russia invites Arab delegation to visit Chechnya

CAIRO: In an attempt to ease Arab anger over its war against Muslim militants in Chechnya, Russia has reportedly invited a delegation from the Arab League to come to the breakaway republic.

The 22-member Arab League released a statement on Saturday, saying visiting Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov issued the invite. The statement did not say whether a delegation would go to Chechnya.

Many people in the Arab world sympathise with fellow Muslims in Chechnya. Several Arab nations have sent aid to the Russian republic and have urged Moscow to end its military offensive there.

Moscow sent ground forces into Chechnya in September after Muslim fighters based there invaded the neighbouring republic of Dagestan and after several bombing at apartment buildings blamed on the militants.

Ivanov on Saturday met with President Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik. Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported that the talks revolved around the situation in Chechnya and the Middle East peace process.

In a later meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Amr Moussa, Ivanov denied that the conflict in Chechnya had hurt Russia's historically warm relations with the Arab world.

Ivanov blamed the conflict in Chechnya on "terrorism," adding: "You in Egypt have suffered from this before". He was referring to the Egyptian government's nearly 8-year struggle against Muslim extremists seeking an Islamic state.

Meanwhile, university students protested Ivanov's visit to Egypt with rallies in Cairo and the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria.

In Saudi Arabia, Russian envoy Ramazan Abdulatipov met with Crown Prince Abdullah. The prince told him the conflict in Chechnya must stop, and the two sides should negotiate instead of spilling more Muslim blood, a Saudi Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity. APP