Tatarstan: President Encourages Russian Talks With Chechnya

Moscow, 29 January 1997 (RFE/RL) - Tatarstan president Mintimer Shaimiev has briefly commented on the Chechen elections, saying Russia should now start talks with democratically-elected leaders in Grozny on mutual relations.

Interviewed in Moscow, Shaimiev suggested that at the beginning, relatively easy issues should be discussed and complicated matters left till later.

Shaimiev also said he does not know any of the Chechen presidential candidates personally but has been told that apparent winner Aslam Maskhadov is a reliable person.