Minister of Nationalities Policy: West getting inclined in Russia's favour on Chechen issue

The western public opinion is "slowly but surely growing inclined in Russia's favour" on the issue of federal authorities' actions in Chechnya, Vladimir Zorin, Russian Federation Minister of Nationalities Policy, said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Monday.

According to the official, the recent analysis of the press and steps taken by foreign heads of state and their executive structures prove that the opinion about federal authorities' actions in Chechnya is changing for the better.

"More and more politicians are coming to realise what a serious challenge Russia has been faced with, international terrorism factually nesting in its territory," Zorin underlined. Western politicians' attitudes are changing, while "the world community is growing more experienced in the issue of fighting international terrorism," the minister added.

In this connection the Russian minister stressed the talks between Russian and US respective Presidents Vladimir Putin and George Bush that had been held the day before and which aired the issue of Chechnya and international terrorism. "The Russian and US leaderships are seeking to consult and co-ordinate actions fighting the new evil, and Chechnya is the advance-guard of international terrorism," Zorin summed up.