CHECHEN PEACE?

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Chechen and Russian negotiators reached an agreement that may end their six-month war. The Chechens agreed to begin disarming the rebel soldiers, while Russia promised to begin a withdrawal of all but a few thousand troops from the breakaway region. In what appeared to be a major concession, the Chechen negotiators agreed to help find and arrest the leader of theraid on Budyonnovsk, Shamil Basayev. Russian officials had threatened tobreak off talks and resume fightingwithout such a guarantee. But the Chechens may not look too hard for Basayev, saysTIME's Sally Donnelly. "The key here is they said they'd look for him, not that they'd turn him in. There are some groups in Chechnya who sympathize with the Russians and would sacrifice Basayev. But to most, he is a national hero."