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(18 Jun 1995) Russian/Eng/Nat The G7 summit in Halifax ended with a political bombshell Saturday when Russian President Boris Yeltsin claimed that Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev had been granted political asylum in Turkey. Waving his arms, the president said Moscow did not care where the rebel leader went, \“as long as it is far, far away from Russia\“. However, despite the president's insistence, both the Chechen rebels and Turkish officials have denied that Dudayev had applied for asylum in Turkey. A final meeting between Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin - and the Russian leader was in theatrical form. Scowling at the press, Yeltsin blasted Chechen rebels as criminals and bandits - and justified Russia's harsh military crackdown: SOUNDBITE: (In Russian) \“After my discussions yesterday, and I once again reiterated that today to our partners in the G7, and told them what kind of people we are dealing with, what kind of horrible criminals with black bands on their foreheads. They now much better understand that this is really the only way we can deal with these criminal elements. They really now understand that much more.\“ SUPER CAPTION: Russian President Boris Yeltsin Then, in the final moments of the meeting, came the bombshell - Yeltsin said that Chechen leader General Dudayev had been granted political asylum in Turkey: SOUNDBITE: (Russian with English translation) \“General Dudayev has asked Turkey to provide him with political protection. Turkey has agreed and given him protection to come and leave his country and come to Turkey with subsequent transfer to another country. We don't care where he goes as long as it's far away from Russia.\“ SUPER CAPTION: Russian President Boris Yeltsin However, Shemsettin Yousuf, acting as Chechnya's foreign minister, denied that Dudayev had applied for asylum in Turkey. And Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel also denied that Dudayev had sought asylum. The Chechen war cast a long shadow over discussions between Yeltsin and leaders the Group of Seven, who told the Russian president he should stop bombing the rebels and find a negotiated solution. SOUNDBITE: (English) \“Sooner than later, and better sooner than later, the cycle of violence has to be broken. And intimately, in any democracy there has to be a political belief in to peoples' differences. And so that is what we've urged.\“ SUPER CAPTION: US President Bill Clinton After the talks, Clinton and Yeltsin parted like old friends, saying they'd see each other again in Moscow where there's to be a summit on nuclear security next year. Yeltsin appeared to enjoy himself in Halifax, playing to the crowds who lined the streets for a glimpse of his motorcade. But he constantly faced reporters' questions over the hostage crisis in Budyonnovsk - and had to make clear repeatedly that Russian efforts to free the hostages would continue. SOUNDBITE: (In Russian with English translation) \“Yes of course, only 160 have been freed, and thousands are still there.\“ SUPER CAPTION: Russian President Boris Yeltsin Yeltsin-watchers say the Russian leader did at least behave in a businesslike manner during the summit, with few signs of the alleged \“health problems\“ that have raised eyebrows during previous international gatherings. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) \“You saw. He seems very well. At least, those who saw him yesterday and today say that no problems arose. He looks fine, he's making jokes.\“ SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Khrekov, Itar-Tass journalist But critics in Moscow say Yeltsin shouldn't have come to Halifax at all. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive:
