President Vladimir Putin visited Grozny and addressed the first session of the Chechen parliament that was elected on November 27, 2005.
Mr Putin emphasised that Russia has always been the most loyal, reliable and consistent defender of the Moslem world’s interests. In trying to destroy Russia, terrorists are undermining one of the Moslem world’s main sources of support in the fight for the legitimate rights of the Islamic countries on the international stage.
Mr Putin drew the parliamentarians’ attention to a number of serious unresolved problems in the rebuilding of Chechnya.
First is to convince those who have not yet laid aside their arms that they are fighting for a false cause that is harmful to their republic and their people.
Second is to strengthen the republic’s law enforcement agencies – prosecutor’s office, interior ministry, the courts and the legal profession.
Work must be done to rebuild the republic’s traditional sectors of activity – agriculture, the oil and construction industries – and to create modern manufacturing enterprises.
One of the biggest priorities is to rebuild Grozny.