A senior Russian delegate, Leonid Slutsky, said earlier this week that London-based Zakayev, had been seen at the Palace of Europe, the seat of the Council of Europe, during the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Rudolf Binding, former rapporteur on Chechnya, confirmed this.
The source said Zakayev might have been given an entry pass by a nongovernmental organization accredited to the Palace of Europe.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that Moscow had addressed French authorities over Zakayev's visit to Strasbourg, and demands a prompt explanation as to why Zakayev, who is wanted in Russia for acts of terrorism committed during Russia's second military campaign in Chechnya in the late nineties, was allowed to make the trip.
"The appearance of Zakayev in Strasbourg aroused serious questions from our side, and we turned to the appropriate authorities in France asking them to provide explanations on this issue, as he is in fact on an Interpol wanted list," Lavrov said.
Zakayev was granted political asylum in the U.K. after fleeing Russia in 2003. London has refused Moscow's repeated requests for his extradition.
