Chechnya President Names Cousin as PM

Chechnya's President Ramzan Kadyrov appointed his first cousin, Odes Baisultanov, as prime minister.

Chechnya's President Ramzan Kadyrov appointed his first cousin, Odes Baisultanov, as prime minister of the troubled Russian region on Tuesday.

Kadyrov, who has been accused by rights groups of directly participating in torture, was sworn in last week after serving previously as prime minister.

Baisultanov, 42 and a qualified economist, was in charge of logistical support for the presidential administration in Chechnya. He became first deputy prime minister in March 2006.

The local parliament unanimously approved the appointment of Baisultanov and senior officials presented him with gifts included a kinzhal, or ceremonial sword.

Asked by Reuters if it would be difficult to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, the prime minister replied: "It will be hard, but he has not gone anywhere. He is close by.

"Together we will restore Chechnya and work for the good of our country." Chechnya was devastated by two wars between separatist rebels and Moscow in the 1990s.

The son of Kadyrov's maternal uncle, Baisultanov grew up in the same Gudernes region of Chechnya as Kadyrov.

Close family links between political figures are not unusual in Chechnya, with blood ties common in the Caucasus region.

Although former insurgents against Russia's rule of the region, the Kadyrov clan switched allegiance to back Moscow in exchange for its backing to run Chechnya.

Akhmad Kadyrov, the former president and Ramzan's father, died in a bomb blast at a stadium in the Chechen capital three years ago.

His son was appointed Chechen prime minister but had to wait until he turned 30 before he could legally take over as president.

Ramzan Kadyrov's appointment by Russian President Vladimir Putin was criticised by human rights groups. They say he has personally participated in torturing suspected guerrillas who continue to fight Russian control of the region.