Call for end to Chechen war

Moscow - The commander of Russia's forces in Chechnya called on politicians yesterday to find a way to end Moscow's campaign …

Moscow - The commander of Russia's forces in Chechnya called on politicians yesterday to find a way to end Moscow's campaign in the breakaway region as soon as possible. But Col Gen Gennady Troshev was quoted by Interfax news agency as ruling out talks with Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, who he earlier said had been wounded, to end the war.

"The politicians start the war, they should and must end it," Col Gen Troshev said. Earlier he said the Chechen president, who has often called for peace talks to resolve the conflict, had been wounded, probably in a shell explosion which killed his bodyguard.