LAVROV DENIES REPORT OF KYRGYZ TROOP REQUEST, HINTS AT 'CHECHEN' TIES TO UZBEK VIOLENCE. Sergei Lavrov on 1 June dismissed reports that the political leadership of Kyrgyzstan has raised the possibility of expanding Russia's military presence in that country (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 25 May 2005), Interfax reported. Lavrov was speaking to journalists in Vladivostok after talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing. Moscow has received no such official request from Kyrgyzstan, Lavrov said. He noted that the "Kyrgyz leadership has a sovereign right to decide how to ensure the security of its territory," Interfax reported. Lavrov also suggested there might have been "Chechen terrorist" involvement in the violence in Uzbekistan's eastern city of Andijon on 13 May (see also Uzbek item below). Pro-Moscow Chechen administration head Alu Alkhanov rejected as unfounded Lavrov's allegation, according to RIA Novosti as cited by yufo.ru. Alkhanov said that while some of the people involved might have been Chechens, they have no ties to his administration or to the Chechen people. VY/LF
(from today's RFE/RL Newsline)
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