Clinton Should Avoid ‘Western Politeness’ on Chechnya, Russian Says

Sergei A. Kovalev, fired from Russia’s top human rights post for his outspoken opposition to the bloody repression in Chechnya, called on President Clinton on Thursday to condemn the Chechen conflict when he meets Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin next week.

Kovalev said he worries that Clinton will employ “customary Western politeness” when he criticizes Russia’s role in break-away Chechnya at the Moscow meeting, diluting the message to the point where it can be misunderstood by Yeltsin and other Russian politicians.

But Secretary of State Warren Christopher said Clinton intends to warn Yeltsin that Russia’s military operations in Chechnya are tarnishing the country’s reputation and delaying Moscow’s “acceptance into Western institutions,” such as the annual meeting of the world’s seven leading economic powers.

“We have made clear our views, and we will continue to make clear our views,” Christopher said. “I think that Mr. Kovalev, who has performed . . . heroically in this matter, has to recognize that the United States is doing what it can to try to ensure that this conflict comes to an end.”

Although Kovalev did not meet Clinton, he delivered his message to some of the Administration’s top officials, including Christopher, Vice President Al Gore, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott and National Security Adviser Anthony Lake.

He said the American officials all assured him of U.S. concern about Chechnya. But he added tartly: “The word ‘concern’ is not adequate to describe the bloodshed that is taking place.”

Kovalev said it is important for Clinton to attend the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe to show his appreciation for the suffering of the Russian population in the fight against the Nazis.

But, he said, the President “should not go with his eyes closed” to the Chechnya conflict.

Asked if Washington should cut off economic aid until Russian forces leave the breakaway republic, Kovalev said he did not want to make such a recommendation.

“Russia requires both support and pressure,” he said.

Fighting continued in Chechnya on Thursday, mocking claims by the Russian military that the rebellion had been crushed.

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In a clear indication that the warfare in the north Caucasus region is far from over, the Kremlin decided to send in marines specially trained to fight guerrillas, the Interfax news agency reported.

Russian Defense Minister Pavel S. Grachev, quoted by Russia’s official Itar-Tass news agency, said that all but a few rebels in Chechnya have been crushed. But he said the remaining insurgents could “spoil the festive mood” by launching guerrilla attacks while Clinton and other world leaders are in Moscow.

Kovalev, a Soviet-era human rights activist who spent 10 years in prison, was elected to the Russian Parliament in 1990 and served as chairman of its Human Rights Committee.

Later, Yeltsin appointed him chairman of the President’s Human Rights Commission, and Parliament elected him to the separate post of Russian human rights commissioner. Parliament ousted him from the latter post in March to punish him for his anti-war activities.

In his Washington news conference, Kovalev said Russia’s turn toward a harder line “is not only our problem, it is your (United States’) problem and a danger for you. . . . Once again we are hearing great lies from official sources. Once again we are learning to read newspapers between the lines. Once again, we are hearing that the interests of the state are above all others.”