Russians, Chechens Hash Out Truce

Russian and Chechen soldiers jointly patrolled this devastated city Saturday as leaders from both sides tried to hash out details of a political settlement ending the 20-month war.

The patrols are the first step in implementing a truce brokered by Russian security advisor Alexander Lebed, who returned to Chechnya for talks with the top Chechen military commander, Aslan Maskhadov.

Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin said Lebed would offer the Chechens a referendum on their rebel republic’s political status in five years. The Chechens are fighting for independence from Russia, something Moscow says it will never allow.