To the Miniser of Foreign Affaires

of the Russian Federation

Mr. S.Ivanov

Dear Minister,

On May 16, 2000, the delegation of the Russian Federation submitted to the UN

Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations a letter of complaint insisting on

withdrawal of TRP's consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOS)

which it has possessed since 1995. The letter of complaint dated May 16, 2000, contains

two charges against the TRP:

the first, that TRP violated Paragraph 57(a) of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 by

accrediting for the work at 56th Session of the UN Comission on Human Rights and

allowing Mr. Idigov, Chairman of the Comission for External Affairs of the Parliament

of Chechen Republic, to speak on its behalf; by Mr. Idigov stating that he was a

representative of President Maskhadov; and by the propagation, in TRP's statement

delivered by Mr. Idigov, of ideas that are completely incompatible with the purposes

and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

the second, that TRP violated Paragraph 57(b) of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 by

undertaking an anti-prohibitionist campaign for the legalization of prohibited drugs.

The relevant provisions of the Paragraph 57(a) of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 establish

that the consultative status of non-governmental organizations with the ECOSOS shall be

suspended or withdrawn in the following cases:

(a) if an organization, either directly or through its affiliates or representatives

acting on its behalf, clearly abuses its status by engaging in a pattern of acts

contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations including

unsubstantiated or politically motivated acts against Member States of the United

Nations incompatible with those purposes and principles;

(b) if there exists substantiated evidence of influence from proceeds resulting from

internationally recognized criminal activities such as the illicit drug trade, money

laundering or the illegal arms trade.

During the course of the meeting of the Committee on the Non-Governmental

Organizations, the delegation of the Russian Federation added two more allegations to

the two formal charges made against the TRP, which were conveyed orally: the first

allegation was that the TRP violated the principles of the Convention on the Rights of

the Child; the second allegation was that the TRP is not an NGO but a political

organisation.

Thus, it is the question of very serious charges which must be supported by forcible

evidences. Meanwhile, untill now I am not aware neither from the TRP itself, nor from

the letter of the Ministry for Foreign Affaires of the Russian Federation adddressed to

the deputy S.A.Popov, dated 20.07.2000, signed by the deputy minister E.Gusarov, that

the Ministry for Foreign Affaires of the Russian Federation cited at least one fact to

prove the charges made against the TRP.

I request you to inform me what actual evidences does the Ministry for Foreign

Affaires of the Russian Federation possess regarding at least one of the four charges

made against the TRP.

Mr. Maskhadov is a legitimate president of Chechen Republic, elected during elections

which were recognized legitimate by the OSCE and the Russian Federation. I am not aware

of any statement of the Russian part changing its official position in respect of the

presidential elections in Chechnya. Thus, the fact that Mr. A.Idigov, a representative

of the legitimate government bodies of Chechen Republic was given the floor, can't be

considered as the support to the terrorism.

I request you to inform me what particular statements in the text of the intervention

of A.Idigov on behalf of the TRP are incompatible with the principles of the Charter of

the United Nations, which, as is generally known, enunciates the right of all the

peoples, including the Chechen people, to self-determination.

As regards the TRP's campaign aimed at reform of today's prohibitionist policies, the

activity of this organization, as proceeds from its statements, is aimed at countering

the narcomafias, undermining its economic power proceeding from the illicity of certain

substances which owing to that are under complete control of narcomafias. This position

may be disputable, but it has the right to exist and to be defended. As regards the

so-called "distribution" of light drugs by the TRP's activists, it is the question of

public actions aimed at drawing public attention to the significance of

anti-prohibitionist proposals and initiatives of the TRP.

I request you to inform me whether the Ministry for Foreign Affaires of the Russian

Federation possesses proofs that the anti-prohibitionist position of the TRP is

financed from the narcomafias.

As regards the allegation that the TRP violated the principles of the Convention on

the Rights of the Child, I urgently request you to inform me what particular principles

and provisions of the Convention did the TRP violate and how exactly did the TRP

violate them.

In case of the absence of such evidences, I ask you to inform me also whether you

think or not that the charges against the TRP, put forward by the Ministry for Foreign

Affaires of the Russian Federation, must be considered as proofless and

unsubstantiated, and oficially recalled without delay not later than October 18, this

year, when the ECOSOS at its meeting will take a final decision regarding TRP's

consultative status?

Taking into consideration the urgency of the raised questions, I request you to give

me your answer within five days.

Sincerely yours,

Deputy of the State duma Yu.A.Rybakov