CHECHEN LEADER: MAIN THING IS FOR YELTSIN’S TRIP TO BE "PRODUCTIVE."

The Russian-Chechen commission drafting a full-scale treaty between Russia and Chechnya met in Grozny on December 6. The purpose of this, the second visit by Russian Security Council secretary Ivan Rybkin in the space of a week, was to discuss the restoration of the Chechen economy and to make preparations for President Boris Yeltsin’s upcoming visit to Chechnya. (NTV, December 6)

The Chechen side was represented by Deputy Premier Akhmed Zakaev and a member of the negotiating commission, Khozhakhmed Yarikhanov. "The Chechen side repeated its position that negotiations cannot move forward until all previously reached agreements [on customs, on granting the Sheikh Mansur airport in Grozny international status, and on exchanging lists of prisoners] have been implemented," Chechen first deputy premier Movladi Udugov told the Monitor. Asked whether the Chechen side will continue to insist that Yeltsin’s proposed visit be organized like a visit by the president of a foreign country, Udugov replied that what Grozny is interested in is concrete results. "The meeting should be preceded by extensive telephone conversations between Aslan Maskhadov and Boris Yeltsin. Grozny will be ready to receive Boris Yeltsin only when we are sure that the visit will be productive," Udugov stressed.

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