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[excerpt]
[U.S. State Department e-mail list serve]
Interview by Arshad Mohammed and Saul Hudson of Reuters
Secretary Colin L. Powell
Washington, DC
September 14, 2004

(9:30 a.m. EDT)

MR. MOHAMMED: Mr. Secretary, thank you for taking the time to speak to us today.

The reforms that were announced by President Putin yesterday consolidate power even more firmly in the hands of the central government in Russia. The New York Times described it this morning in an editorial as Russia's lurch backwards.

Don't these reforms simply increase the concerns that you expressed in Izvestiya in January about the state of democracy in Russia and about the balance between the executive, the legislative and the judiciary?

SECRETARY POWELL: We do have concerns. We are studying the actions that President Putin took yesterday, and I'm sure we'll be having conversations with them. I'm looking forward to seeing Foreign Minister Lavrov in New York next week.

We understand then need to fight against terrorism, especially terrorism of the kind that we saw at Beslan last week, and the two airplanes that were bombed and the bombing of the subway station. But in an attempt to go after terrorists, I think one has to strike a proper balance to make sure that you don't move in a direction that takes you away from the democratic reforms or the democratic process that you are committed to.

And so we'll be discussing our concerns with the Russians in the days ahead. I think it would be not the best course of action to move in a direction, which will be seen by the international community as moving in -- toward the rear with respect to democratic reforms. And so we have to have a better understanding of what Putin has done and the reasons for it.

MR. MOHAMMED: Do you think that's what's happening? Do you think they are lurching backwards?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, that's what we have to determine. I mean, in effect, this is pulling back on some of the democratic reforms as seen by the international community that have occurred in the past, so yes, we have concerns about it and we want to discuss them with the Russians.

MR. MOHAMMED: Do you believe -- do you still believe that Russia should try to find a political solution in Chechnya?

SECRETARY POWELL: I think the Russians believe that ultimately, a political solution has to be found, and that's been a policy discussion we've had with them over time. But you know, when you are faced with terrible tragedy such as they were faced with in Beslan, what you have to focus on is making sure you have identified who these murderers are, who these terrorists are, and go after them.

And there can be no political solution or political delegation with terrorists or murders -- people who would do such a horrible thing to young students on the first day of school. It is unconscionable, and there is no way to justify, rationalize or excuse this kind of action. And your response has to be direct and immediate, and that is to go after the murderers.

But at the same time, you have to find a balance between fighting terrorism in an aggressive way and also making sure that we don't undercut the institutions of state that are based on the foundation of democracy.