THE HAGUE

The chief prosecutor at The Hague tribunal on former Yugoslavia has threatened to book Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges of war crimes in Chechnya.

Karla del Ponte, who indicted former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic, has reportedly promised Chechen leader Ahmed Zakayev, a senior aide to ousted anti-Moscow Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, that she would initiate legal action against Putin for crimes committed by the Russian Army in the Russian republic of Chechnya.

"We understand that Russia does not come under the present war tribunal at Hague, but the Russian Army's atrocities in Chechnya are by no means less than the Yugoslavian Army's crimes under Milosevic, and we have high hopes on del Ponte's international reputation to book Putin," Zakayev was reported as telling a Russian online newspaper, Strana.

"Del Ponte asked us not to abandon hope and promised assistance in booking those who are perpetrating crimes in Chechnya," he said.

News that del Ponde met Zakayev triggered a spate of angry reactions from Russian leaders here. Dmitry Rogogin, the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee chairman, has asked del Ponte to explain in what capacity she received Zakayev.

Alexander Gurov, security community chairman of the State Duma, described del Ponte's conduct as "irresponsible and provocative," and said Russia would condemn her action officially.