CHECHEN TALKS MOVE TOWARD AGREEMENT?

The peace talks inGrozny moved into what the Russian side hoped was an endgame overwhat the Russians said was the final four lines of an accord,and what both sides feared might not be. Russian representativessuggested that there would be a "final decision" byJuly 23. On July 20, the two sides began to implement their militaryagreements which should lead to a cessation of the nearly continuousviolations of the ceasefire. One unexpected development on July19 was that the military leader of the Chechens, Aslan Maskhadov,said that the Dudayev forces might join with the pro-Moscow governmentof Chechnya to put pressure on Moscow. Such an alliance is unlikely,given what both sides have said in the past, but it does suggestthat a solution to the war, as opposed to a mere declaration ofits end, is still far in the future.

Russian Position Hardening Again.