TATARSTAN OFFERS TO HELP CHECHNYA.

President Mintimer Shaimiev says Tatarstan is prepared to invest in Chechnya’s post-war reconstruction if its contributions can be written off as federal taxes. (Itar-Tass, June 9) Tatarstan is one of only a handful of Russian provinces that pay more into the federal budget than they receive back, but it has for months been embroiled in a battle of wills with the Kremlin over unpaid taxes. Last week, Moscow came up with an innovative proposal to allow Chechnya to collect and keep debts owed to the federal budget by other regions or by members of the Commonwealth of Independent States — provided that the debts are paid in goods and services, not in cash.

Chechnya Moves Toward Islamic State.