Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the North-Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khloponin met with Dick Marty, PACE rapporteur on the human rights situation in the North Caucasus, who arrived in Russia to collect information for a report on legal protection against human rights violations in the North Caucasus. Marty plans to visit Chechnya, Ingushetia and Daghestan to meet with the presidents of the tree republics and other regional officials.

Khloponin and Marty discussed a wide range of issues related to the situation in the North Caucasus. The deputy prime minister reported that the government is currently preparing a so-called Strategy for the Social and Economic Development of the North Caucasus Federal District. The Strategy is expected to be submitted to the government in June 2010 and will contain provisions regarding its financial feasibility and sources of funding.

Khloponin believes that one of the Strategy's main objectives is searching for new solutions to the region's problems in unemployment and education. "The Strategy will focus on creating new jobs, modernising production facilities and upgrading technology. It will also place a great emphasis on building up the education system, including by establishing a federal university in the North Caucasus," stated Khloponin.

Khloponin also emphasised "that social and economic development in the North-Caucasus Federal District is impossible without proper anti-terrorist and law-enforcement operations or addressing the issue of human rights in the North Caucasus."

The two men also discussed rebuilding the Chechen Republic. A total of 24 billion roubles have been appropriated to provide housing for those who were affected during anti-terrorist operations.

Marty said that he is travelling to the North Caucasus to "look at the situation on the ground" and understand how the Council of Europe can help Russia address the problems in this region.

He noted that the establishment of the North-Caucasus Federal District shows the Russian government's willingness to resolve these problems.

At the end of the meeting, Khloponin expressed his hopes that Marty's work in the North Caucasus would be productive, and that the rapporteur on the human rights situation in the North Caucasus would be able to collect comprehensive and impartial information on all the issues he will mention in his report to the PACE.