"Why should we talk to people who are child killers?"

President Putin defends Russia's policy toward Chechnya as the people of Beslan bury their dead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday night refused to order a public inquiry into how the Beslan school was captured by gunmen and resulted in such a high death toll.

He told the UK-based Guardian that people who call for talks with Chechen leaders have no conscience.

"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace? Why don't you do that?" he said with searing sarcasm. "You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child killers?"

"No one has a moral right to tell us to talk to child killers," he added.

Putin likened the demands of some U.S. officials that Russia negotiate with the Chechen separatists to the United States talking to al Qaeda.

These are not "freedom fighters," Putin said. "Would you talk with Osama bin Laden?" he asked.

"Osama Bin Laden attacked the United States saying he was doing it because of polices in the Middle East," Putin said. "Do you call him a freedom fighter?"