Finland's Foreign Minister: Chechen Crisis Must Be Resolved Politically, if People to Talk with Can Be Found

Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja believes that the staggering terrorist drama in Moscow is another proof of that terrorism is a threat to the whole world. According to a reporter of the Rosbalt news agency, while talking on Channel 1 of the Finnish TV, the minister said that 'the Russians dealt with the problem in a most commendable way, hundreds of lives being under threat.'

The Finnish minister believes that the crisis in Chechnya must be resolved politically because 'force alone can not make it'. However, he added, the problem is finding an acceptable partner to talk with. 'It is also very clear', the minister continued to say, 'that Chechnya can not be left to such terrorists'.

Mr. Erkki Tuomioja said Russia had been offered international help to resolve the latest crisis but handled the matter so that the help proved unnecessary.