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USA welcomes dialogue between Russians and Chechen
separatists - ambassador
Interfax
Moscow, 19 November: US ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow has said he welcomes the beginning of a dialogue between the Russian federal centre and [Chechen separatist leader] Aslan Maskhadov's emissary Akhmed Zakayev.
The US was glad to hear that the first meeting between the opposing sides did take place, Vershbow said at a press conference at the Interfax main office today.
The meeting between Zakayev and Russian presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District Viktor Kazantsev was held at Moscow's Sheremetyevo-2 international airport yesterday.
Vershbow noted that US President George W. Bush had reiterated last week that the USA regards as very important such a dialogue and the search for a political solution to the conflict in Chechnya.
The USA on its part will try to do its best to curb assistance to terrorists in Chechnya from the outside, which particularly concerns foreign terrorists and, first of all, the warlord Khattab, the ambassador said.
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