Chechen Leader Calls Attempts To Escalate Tensions Over Deal With Ingushetia Unacceptable

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2018) Leader of Russia's Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov called on Wednesday any attempts to escalate tensions over the recently signed border agreement between the Chechen republic and the Republic of Ingushetia unacceptable.

On September 26, the two republics signed a land swap deal, backed by the parliaments in both regions on October 4. However, the constitutional court in Ingushetia said the decision could only be approved after the referendum. Protest rallies have been held since then in Ingushetia's capital of Magas.

"We see some attempts to escalate tensions over this issue and deteriorate relations between our nations. That is absolutely unacceptable and useless. The Chechens have been, remain and will be brothers of the Ingush people despite some persons' attempts," Kadyrov wrote on his page in the VK social network.

The Chechen leader thanked his Ingush counterpart Yunus-bek Yevkurov for his firm position on the border issue.

"Each Ingushetia's resident may feel welcome in the Chechen Republic ... I am sure that the same point of view is also shared in the neighboring republic," Kadyrov stressed.

According to the Ingushetian authorities, the agreement is fixing the mistake of 2009 when the republic annexed Chechen territories that historically belonged to Chechnya but were not reclaimed by Grozny while implementing a new Federal law on municipal borders.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in October that Moscow was monitoring closely the situation in Ingushetia and trusted the regional authorities to handle the rallies.