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Dudayev: First, a major hotbed of instability in the Caucasus will have been settled. Otherwise Dagestan [the neighboring Muslim republic east of Chechnya] could be next to explode. Second, Russia wouldn't have to send trillions of rubles here, since once the conflict is settled, we don't intend to ask Russia for any money. We can jointly exploit the riches of this land, including income from [energy] transports through this key geographical area.
TIME: Do you mean the potential profits from a pipeline carrying Caspian Sea oil through Chechnya? Was this a factor in Russia's intervention in Chechnya?
Dudayev: Yes, it was. If the war goes on, the pipeline will never operate. It will be exploded. But if we reach accommodation with Russia, it will acquire a reliable neighbor who will shield it from aggression, acts of sabotage and terror.
TIME: Would a communist victory in the presidential elections change the situation in Chechnya?
Dudayev: It really doesn't matter. Communist or fascist, they all suffer from Russian-itis, a kind of Russian mania for world domination. At least if the communists take over, they'll have to work hard to prove their commitment to law and democracy, while the incumbent regime is openly criminal.
TIME: Do you have any weapons of mass destruction?
Dudayev: We won't use them, unless Russia uses nuclear weapons.
TIME: Is it true that some Russian officers have offered to sell you antiaircraft guns for 20 million rubles apiece?
Dudayev: Out of professional courtesy to my former fellow officers, I'd prefer not to answer this question.