Madame Chairperson, we would like to underscore once again the message that we have been delivering in various fora, including this Council, over the past weeks: there are several important measures that we can take now to address the conflict in Chechnya.

First, the OSCE Assistance Group must be allowed to implement its mandate in the North Caucasus as soon as it can feasibly return to the region.

Second, the ICRC must be granted access to detainees.

Third, credible international observers should be placed on Human Rights Ombudsman Kalamanov's team as quickly as possible.

Implementing these measures would help demonstrate Russia's commitment to upholding OSCE norms in Chechnya.

We expressed our support last week for the naming of Human Rights Ombudsman Kalamanov, for the invitation to the Chairperson-in-Office to visit Moscow and Chechnya after the March 26 Russian elections, and for the announcement that Ambassador Missong and other members of the Assistance Group would travel to Chechnya this week.

We now need to ensure that these commitments are implemented.

We understand that Ambassador Missong's trip to Chechnya has been delayed due to security concerns. We hope that his travel will now occur March 11, as reported.

Ambassador Missong's on-the-ground evaluation of the situation is key to allowing the CIO to determine whether security and other conditions exist for a return of the Assistance Group to the region, and how to address the various elements of the mission mandate.

There remain concerns about whether detainees are being maltreated. The best way to address this issue is to allow the ICRC to fulfill its traditional role as a neutral monitor of conditions in detention and refugee camps in Chechnya.

We welcome Russia's invitation to have representatives from the Council of Europe work with Mr. Kalamanov. We urge Russia and the COE to agree to modalities promptly.

We note Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov's statements in Lisbon that Russia would consider other offers of assistance to Mr. Kalamanov. We believe that the OSCE might offer its experts to Mr. Kalamanov to begin work with his office.

Let me emphasize that any international human rights experts—COE, OSCE, or others—must be afforded full investigative authority and access to the press.

The international community remains concerned about events in Chechnya and hopes to see progress on these issues.