Kremlin: More Chechen civilians to be engaged in public and political life

A high-profile Kremlin spokesman reports the current amnesty in Chechnya is meant to finally reveal supporters and opponents of peaceful life in the republic.

We are interested in having notorious bandits on the other side of the trenches, the Kremlin spokesman told RIA Novosti.

The amnesty was announced in Chechnya on June 7th and will last till September 1st.

According to the source, the authorities intend to assist those who have laid down arms and want to participate in the restoration of peaceful life in Chechnya.

The federal centre is set on encouraging the involvement of peaceful civilians, ready to defend their viewpoint by democratic means (elections, Chechnya's public life, etc.) in Chechnya's political and public life.

According to the spokesman, some former members of the Ichkerian parliament have been amnestied and are going to participate in presidential and parliamentary elections in Chechnya.

On the whole, the source said, there are many people in the Chechen republic who have integrated in the peace process, and this tendency persists.

A series of acts of terror lately took place in Chechnya. The latest attempt was made on Friday when a man and a woman tried to drive a truck stuffed with explosives to the building of the republican organised crime department in Grozny.

The latest events in Chechnya, however, failed to upset the plans of the Chechen leadership to hold the first session of the State Council, a provisional legislative body, to operate till parliamentary elections in the republic, as was planned on Saturday.