By empty (9/1/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish journalists in Sochi that the international terrorists are trying to make use of the current normalization in Chechnya for their own purposes. \"The situation is getting back to normal [in Chechnya.] Elections were held there a few days ago and a new president has been elected.

By empty (9/1/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Commander of the Russian Air Force Vladimir Mikhailov said he believes the explosive devices that went off aboard two Russian airliners over a week ago were planted well beforehand, and said all the suicide bombers had to do was activate them. \"It is my personal opinion that the passengers did not bring explosive devices aboard the planes. The explosive devices were brought well beforehand and planted somewhere near the rear toilets by some employees, and the suicide-bombers only had to activate them while they were aboard the planes,\" Mikhailov told journalists in Rostov-on-Don.

By empty (9/1/2004 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said he is confident that the country\'s existing legislation allows for honest and transparent elections. \"If its provisions are adhered to in a strict manner, existing legislation allows us to hold any elections in compliance with international electoral standards in the republic today,\" Nazarbayev said at the opening of the sixth parliamentary session in Astana on Wednesday. \"While introducing amendments to the constitutional law on elections in the republic of Kazakhstan, the government and parliament managed to avoid any extremities that could add unwanted tensions to the electoral process,\" the president said.