Tuesday September 7, 4:01 PM
Putin refuses talks with "child killers"
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has attacked the West
for calling on Russia to seek political dialogue with Chechen
separatists in the wake of last week's school hostage siege in
which at least 335 died -- half of them children.
Putin also ruled out holding a public inquiry into the storming of
the Beslan school after a three-day stand-off with rebels who
demanded Chechnya's independence.
"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to
the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give
it to him so he leaves you in peace?" Putin was quoted as saying by
the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.
"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with
these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are
child-killers?" said Putin, who spoke to a group of foreign
journalists and academics late on Monday.