"At the meeting with high officials of the Chechen Interior Ministry and public figures in Gudermes, the Chechen president said that he is ready for talks with Maskhadov if they intend the ending of resistance and voluntary surrender", said the press service.
In Kadyrov's opinion, Maskhadov will not take the initiative while terrorist Shamil Basaev is at large. The Chechen president said that Maskhadov is afraid of Basaev and cannot decide on talks, the press service said.
Rudnik Dudaev, secretary of the Chechen Security Council, told RIA Novosti that during his trip to Gudermes Kadyrov met with 15 former deputies of the so-called parliament of Ichkeria (self-name for Chechnya). "The Chechen president told them that they should no longer doubt that the present power in Chechnya has come to stay", Rudnik Dudaev said. Kadyrov stressed that it is very important for the deputies voluntarily to surrender their powers and cease making political declarations.
