USA condemns terrorist act in Chechnya

The George Bush administration emphatically condemns the terrorist act in Chechnya and joins the other members of the international community in condemning it", deputy spokesman for the U.S. Department of State Philip Ricker stated.

Speaking before journalists in Washington on Tuesday, Ricker said that the USA struggles against terrorism in close cooperation with other countries, including Russia.

Russia was attacked by terrorist groups and (in the struggle against terrorism) we have a very good relationship with Russia, the representative of the U.S. Department of State stressed and added that the question of cooperation of the USA and Russia in combating terrorism will be discussed by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell during his visit to Moscow which began on Tuesday.

Speaking about the terrorist act in Chechnya, Ricker said that, in the U.S. administration's opinion, this terrorist act is aimed at thwarting the efforts of the Russian officials to begin the process of political settlement with a number of Chechen leaders.

We call upon the Chechen leaders to reject terrorism in word and in deed, as well as to put an end to the links with Chechen and international terrorists, the representative of the State Department stressed and added that the USA supports the political process directed at achieving a stable peace in Chechnya.