19 November 2002
More stranded Chechens allowed to cross into Poland

 Polish border guards let about 60 ethnic Chechens to cross into the country over the last two days defusing tensions with Belarus over what it regarded as unlawful denials of entry.
Since October 26, Polish border guards turned back about 300 Russians, mostly ethnic Chechens traveling from Russia to Poland. Some of them returned to Russia while others rented apartments in Brest.
On November 15, 17 ethnic Chechens, accompanied by Polish television journalists, were allowed to travel to Poland. Eleven people were let into Poland on the next day, and 30 others, mostly women and children, on November 16. The police said that a small number of ethnic Chechens currently staying in Brest are expected to leave for Poland within the next few days.