RUSSIAN OFFICIAL DISMISSES TERROR WARNING AS "PROVOCATION."

A spokesman for Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin has dismissed as "a crude provocation" allegations by Chechen vice president Vakha Arsanov that the Russian security services are planning to use Chechen criminals living in Moscow to stage terrorist acts in three Russian cities and thereby undermine peace negotiations between Chechnya and Russia. More to the point, Arsanov’s statement was denied by Movladi Udugov, Chechnya’s acting first deputy-premier. Udugov said President Aslan Maskhadov’s government has "complete control" over all Chechen field commanders and that there "must not and will not be any terrorist acts." (Interfax, March 25) But Udugov’s contradiction of Arsanov’s statement created an impression of disagreement and lack of coordination within the Chechen leadership.

ORT Wins Case Against Parliament.