CHECHEN LEADERSHIP INVITES ARAB COUNTRY AMBASSADORS TO ESTABLISH ECONOMIC COOPERATION.

According to Chechnya’s special envoy, Ruslan Kutaev, the republic’s leadership plans to invite the Arab countries’ ambassadors in Moscow to visit Djohar-gala and to see the situation there for themselves. "Since it is impossible to [work] …with Russia in the area of economic cooperation on even an elementary level, we will be forced to look elsewhere for partners in economic cooperation," Kutaev explained. (Ekho Moskvy, April 23) But Chechnya does not intend to limit itself to contacts with the Islamic world. There are reports that Maskhadov has succeeded in making agreements that will bring Chechnya $600,000 in aid. (RTR, April 23)

Ingush Government Official Assassinated.