Eradicating abductions is a key challenge facing the Chechen government, the republic\'s President Alu Alkhanov told a news conference at the Interfax central office on Tuesday. \"The main task is to prevent or eradicate this crime in the Chechen republic,\" he said. The number of kidnappings and other serious crimes has already started to decline in Chechnya, he said. \"The abduction of even one person is a tragedy for his entire family and relatives,\" Alkhanov said. The observance of human rights in Chechnya was addressed during the recent visits by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles to the republic, the Chechen president said. \"I am saying at all levels that we do not deny crimes and abuse of office by individual security service officers,\" he said. (Interfax)