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The letter said that the counter-terrorist operation against illegal paramilitary units was meant to deal with the inhuman conditions that had placed the population of the Chechen Republic at the mercy of militants, destabilised a large region of the North Caucasus and directly threatened the territorial integrity of Russia.

Mr Putin said that a respect for the Russia-EU partnership made it imperative to treat the European Union’s concerns about the situation in Chechnya seriously. Russia considers the international community’s support and understanding to be very important.

Mr Putin said Russian government leaders always focussed on the tasks of attaining a political settlement and restoring constitutional law and order, as well as intensive work to ensure the socioeconomic rehabilitation of Chechnya and allow Russian citizens there to lead a normal life. He added that the motives for these measures were not simply pragmatic; rather, they were prompted by the historical experience of Russia.

The message also said that Russia’s relations with the EU are a high priority, and it hopes to work constructively with EU leaders to implement the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Commenting on the situation in Russia, Mr Putin said that recent parliamentary and gubernatorial elections in Russia had confirmed that the country was sticking to its long-term development plans without reverting to the past as it entered the third millennium.