On 31 October 2007, Zakayev officially distanced himself from the newly resigned Chechen separatist leader Doku Umarov and the Chechen Islamist ideologist Movladi Udugov, who together had declared the creation of Caucasus Emirate in the place of abolished ChRI. In response, Zakayev called for the remnants of the separatist parliament to form the new government and salvage legitimacy.Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria , Chechenpress, 31 October 2007 Soon after, on 20 November 2007, Zakayev submitted his resignation from the post of foreign minister, but said this should not be viewed as a departure from "the fight for our independence, our freedom, and for the recognition of our state".Foreign Minister Of Chechen Separatist Government Resigns , RFE/RL, 20 November 2007 He subsequently assumed the position of prime minister of the exile government. In September 2008, Ramzan Kadyrov said he was now trying to persuade Chechens refugees and exiles to return, including Akhmed Zakayev, whom Kadyrov described as "a valuable artist who would be welcome to return to help revive Chechnya's cultural heritage."US 'provoked Russia-Georgia war' , BBC News, 10 September 2008 Zakayev and Alla Dudayeva, the widow of the first Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev, accused Udugov of being a paid agent provocateur for the Russia's FSB.Russia: Is North Caucasus Resistance Still Serious Threat?, RFE/RL, 1 November 2007
