MASKHADOV LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY.

Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov has decided not to extend the curfew and state of emergency, which ran out at midnight July 28. He says significant progress has been made in stabilizing the situation in the republic, and that the goals set at the time of the imposition of the state of emergency on July 22 have been almost completely met. Broadcasts of the Russian television companies ORT, RTR and NTV have also resumed now that the state of emergency has been lifted. (NTV, RTR, July 28)

ROUGH SAILING FOR RUSSIAN NAVAL EXERCISES?