July 23, 2002 - 22:46 AMT
MOSCOW REGION AUTHORITIES FULLY CONTROL POSSIBLE CENTERS OF INTER-ETHNIC OPPOSITIONS, REGION VICE GOVERNOR STATED
The authorities of the Moscow region have taken over the control of the possible centers of inter-ethnic oppositions in the region. Vice governor of the region Mikhail Men has stated that in his interview with "Izvestia" newspaper. According to him, after the recent Armenian pogroms in famous Krasnoarmeysk city, the law-enforcement bodies were entrusted to "ask Armenian community to exercise caution in public places in order to prevent further conflicts". Meanwhile, according to the article in "Izvestia" newspaper, on the Internet, there is a site named "Movement against illegal migrants" where the Azeri community is called the most dangerous one in Moscow region that "actually controls local food markets and increases the prices for food artificially". According to the site information, number of Azeris in the Moscow region is about 1.5 million, while according to the information of local tax services, only few are registered and pay taxes. But they all, according to "Izvestia" correspondent, use the social services: hospitals, schools, kindergartens.