On Wednesday 2nd June the Henry Jackson Society and the Chechnya Peace Forum hosted a seminar on "Russia A Year On: Testing Medvedev's Democratic Credentials." By kind invitation of Labour MP Gisela Stuart, the meeting took place in the House of Commons and drew an eminent audience of over 100 people. Speakers included: Gisela Stuart, Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee; Akhmed Zakaev, Prime Minister of the Chechen government in exile;  Vladimir Bukovsky, Soviet and Russian dissident and Robin Shepherd, Director of International Affairs, Henry Jackson Society. The meeting was chaired by Alan Mendoza, Henry Jackson Society.

The panel was quite unanimous in concluding that in the past ten years there has been a consistent decline in the democratic machinery in Russia - and over the past year, Medvedev's first as president - there has been no evidence to signal any kind of change in the status-quo. Indeed, the presidential term has been extended from four to six years, a special department for countering "extremism" has been created, politically motivated investigations have been reinforced, a law passed to prevent historical accounts critical of the Stalin period, considerable additional investments in intelligence and the military in general, increased use of energy supplies as a political tool -and , of course, the war in Abkhasia and South Ossetia, both republics within the borders of Georgia. The reality is that Putin and the FSB remain the power elite in Russia and the wishful image of Medvedev as a more "liberal guy" has turned out to be a mere illusion.

It was pointed that Russia's vast geographic area and its complex demography still constitutes an empire, and empires tend to either expand or contract. True democracy introduced in Russia would inevitably lead to further fragmentation and a shift in power away from the centre, making it in the Kremlin's own self-interest to obstruct democratic reform.

Embedding such a profound imbalance in Russian society represents a great danger that is a threat to Russia itself. If ignored or left unaddressed by the international community, the consequences may well be exported beyond Russian borders. The West has shown an appalling lack of political will to find solutions to these pressing phenomena, and it is our obligation and responsibility to fill this void with clear demands to those in the Kremlin.

Mr. Akhmed Zakaev also pointed to the fact that after two brutal wars in Chechnya where up to 250.000 people have been killed, the republic is still in a state of emergency and impunity. The power now lies with a puppet regime appointed by Moscow. Real peace can only be brought about when the Chechen people can freely elect there own governance and determine their own future, calling upon the European institutions to take action.

Chechnya Peace Forum will keep up the focus on Chechnya, Caucasus and the future for democracy, civil liberties and rule of law in Russia - they are all fundamental elements of a very serious foreign policy question.

Ivar Amundsen
Director, Chechnya Peace Forum