Russian parliament okays bill on Anti-Terrorist operations

Moscow, July 5 (UNI) The lower house of Russian parliament, the State Duma, today voted to give the President the right to use the armed forces and special forces abroad in fighting terrorism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had yesterday submitted a draft decree with the Federation Council would authorise the President to send armed and security forces units outside Russia to prevent international terrorist activities.

According to the bill, the President would ''make the decision to use army and special forces abroad to deal with terrorist activities against the Russian Federation, or Russian citizens, or persons without citizenship, who permanently reside in Russia.'' Mr Putin has already ordered the Russian special services to eliminate the terrorists in Iraq who recently kidnapped and killed four Russian diplomats in Baghdad.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army, Gen Yury Baluyevsky said everything was being done to find those who killed Russian diplomats in Iraq.

''Best specialists from power-wielding agencies concerned of the Russian Federation, including the Main Intelligence Department of the General Staff, as well as foreign policy and international agencies and organisations in Russia are used to solve that task,'' Gen Baluyevsky told Itar-Tass.

He said they worked in close co-operation with foreign specialists and services engaged in anti-terrorist fight, particularly in the West Asian region.

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