YASTRZHEMBSKY SAYS MASKHADOV SHOULD BE ARRESTED.

Russian presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky stressed to the Interfax News Agency on May 16, “Ideally, the leader of the former Ichkerian regime, Aslan Maskhadov, must be arrested and tried on the criminal charges against him.” Yastrzhembsky added that, “The federal authorities are not conducting any talks with Maskhadov.” On the subject of Maskhadov’s wife, Kusama, who is currently living in the Nadterechnyi District in the north of Chechnya, Yastrzhembsky expressed agreement with the opinion of Akhmed Zavgaev, the pro-Moscow head of that district: “Zavgaev is quite right in saying that, through Maskhadov’s wife, rebels supporting the former leader of Ichkeria are conducting a misinformation campaign (Lenta.ru, Russian agencies, May 16). The implication appeared to be that certain unspecified actions should be taken against Maskhadov’s wife. Nikolai Britvin, deputy plenipotentiary representative in the Southern Federal District, however, seemed to take issue with Yastrzhembsky’s opinion, when he stated on 18 May: “The [pro-Moscow] law enforcement organs of the Chechen Republic do not intend to persecute the family of Aslan Maskhadov which is living in Nadterechnyi District” (Russian agencies, May 18).