Lower House Speaker pronounces in favour of speedy extradition of Ahmed Zakayev to Russia

State Duma (Lower House) Speaker Gennady Seleznyov welcomed the arrest of Ahmed Zakayev, who calls himself a representative of the Chechen rebel's leader, Aslan Maskhadov, in Denmark.

Speaking to the journalists before a State Duma meeting, the Speaker said that "it was necessary that Zakayev should be extradited to Russia as soon as possible." Answering a question of the journalists, Seleznyov assured that there was no tackling the Chechen issue through dialogue. "We need to follow the adopted course," he believes.

At the same time the Speaker noted that the Chechen problem is both "political and military." He explained that the political aspect lies in paving the way for the adoption of Chechnya's constitution and holding elections in the republic. "We are completely sure that the absolute majority of Chechnya's population does not like to deal with militants and would welcome a transition to peace," Seleznyov said.