Moscow, Nov 1: Russian officials played crackly tapes of intercepted telephone conversations for journalists yesterday, part of a Kremlin effort to prove that Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov was behind last week's hostage crisis at a Moscow theater - and cannot be trusted as a partner for peace talks. Kremlin spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky said Maskhadov had been discredited, leaving Moscow with nobody to negotiate with over Chechnya. In one of the Chechen-language calls, played with a voiced-over Russian translation, a man identified as the attackers' leader, Movsar Barayev, said "Shamil," meaning Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, was present during preparations for the hostage-taking raid. "Shamil was acting on Aslan's instructions," the voice said.

"There was other clear evidence that Mr. Maskhadov was fully aware of the developments and the people in the auditorium acted with his knowledge," Yastrzhembsky said, though he offered no further proof of Maskhadov's involvement in the raid that led to at least 160 deaths.
Moscow has sought to erase any distinction drawn by foreign governments between rebel commanders such as Basayev and those who serve as political representatives, including Maskhadov and his aides. Denmark yesterday arrested Maskhadov's foreign envoy, Akhmed Zakayev, at Moscow's request.



Yastrzhembsky said the alleged evidence against Maskhadov and Zakayev essentially ruled out any peace negotiations over Chechnya.


Bureau Report