CHECHNYA ULTIMATUM SUGGESTS RENEWAL OF HOSTILITIES.

In the consensus of observers it is the Russian side which has openly repudiated the provisions of the armistice in Chechnya. However the commander of Russia’s combined forces in Chechnya, Lt. General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov yesterday issued an ultimatum to the Chechen resistance demanding that the Chechens explain in writing by 9 AM today why they are "failing to fulfill the provisions of the armistice agreements," and also demanding that the resistance hand over by 6 PM today all of the Russian military prisoners and the several Chechen {Moscow-installed}officials which it holds captive. (Itar-Tass, Interfax, July 8)

The command’s demands are unfulfillable in their substance and/or by the stipulated deadlines and appear designed to justify a resumption of hostilities, which Tikhomirov has all along advocated. While serving back in 1992 as chief of staff of Lebed’s 14th Army, Tikhomirov issued a public ultimatum to the Moldovan government and followed it up with the 14th Army’s intervention against Moldova.

Russia Faces Tax Crunch.