Your Excellency:

I am writing to you regarding the upcoming meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and to express my serious concern about reports of the Russian government's continued failure to rein in its troops in Chechnya and hold accountable those responsible for atrocities.

Abuses continue to occur in Chechnya including mass, summary execution of civilians; arbitrary detention and the beating and torture of detainees; indiscriminate bombardment of densely populated areas; and systematic looting and rape.

Our country strongly believes in the development and enforcement of international human rights and humanitarian law. These principles should not be compromised when the offending state is an important or powerful country. I believe that relations with Russia are important, but those relations must be built on a solid foundation of mutual respect for the rule of law.

The Russian Government has totally failed to comply with the 2000 U.N. Commission on Human Rights resolution on Chechnya which called for the creation of a national commission of inquiry and cooperation with U.N.'s human rights monitors and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

In the coming session I urge our government to co-sponsor a resolution:

• condemning ongoing atrocities in Chechnya;
• noting the total failure of the Russian government to implement the Commission's previous resolution;
• establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate and document atrocities committed by both sides to the conflict in Chechnya.

In the meantime, I hope that you will initiate an effort to obtain comprehensive information about the current status of Russian investigations into human rights and humanitarian law crimes committed in the context of the Chechen conflict.

Please accept this expression of my respect and appreciation for your attention to my concerns.

Sincerely,