CHECHNYA ARMISTICE DOCUMENTS SIGNED.

Yesterday in Nazran, Russian and Chechen resistance delegations signed two protocols on implementing the May 27 Moscow armistice. The protocol on military issues rules out the use of force, including artillery shelling and aviation bombing. It also bans "special operations" but leaves the definition of that term for follow-up talks. Russia is to begin today the lifting of the military blockade of Chechen towns and villages, setting up instead checkpoints to guard access to Russian military units. The "temporary" grouping of Russian forces in Chechnya will by the end of August complete its withdrawal from Chechnya, synchronized with Chechnya’s "demilitarization" — a term understood to mean disarmament of Chechen detachments.

The protocol on exchanging forcibly held persons reconfirms the goal of an all-for-all exchange. It establishes a joint working group in Grozny to examine lists of forcibly held persons, find them and effect their release.

As a last-minute "political" addition to the agenda, the sides agreed to postponing the elections for a legislative assembly in Grozny, which had been scheduled by Moscow to be held on June 16. As the Chechen side had insisted, internationally monitored free elections are to take place only after the Russian troops have withdrawn. This vindicated the Chechen view, supported by the OSCE mission, that conditions for free and fair elections currently do not exist in Chechnya. (Russian and Western agencies, June 10)

Central Bank to Take Legal Action.