Europe Human Rights Chief Calls For Dialogue After Russian School Tragedy

BESLAN, Russia, Sept 25 (AFP) - The Council of Europe's human rights chief travelled to the scene of the Russian hostage tragedy on Saturday, declaring that it was vital to get dialogue going between the warring parties in the region.
Alvaro Gil-Robles arrived in the North Ossetian town of Beslan where a seige at a school in September ended with the loss of at least 339 lives -- half of them children -- after a visit to neighbouring Chechnya.
Gil-Robles, who laid a wreath in the cemetery where the bodies now rest, said: "There is no justification for such a barbaric terrorist attack. But we have to fight to get dialogue going."
"There are no excuses for those who planned and organised this terrorist act," the Council of Europe commissioner said.
"But today more than ever we must turn towards democracy and the rule of law to bring the violence to an end."
Responsibility for the Beslan school tragedy has been claimed by Chechen separatist rebels.