…SENDS REGRETS.

The speaker of the Federation Council has invited Maskhadov to attend a session of the upper house of the Russian parliament on February 12. Maskhadov has already said Chechnya is an independent country and that he will therefore not take up the seat in the Russian senate that — Moscow maintains — goes with the presidency of the republic. This time, Moscow will have to excuse Maskhadov’s absence. Whether by design or happy accident, Maskhadov’s inauguration is scheduled for February 12. (Itar-Tass, February 4)

Chechnya Prints Its Own Currency.