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DATE=10/22/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S-CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-255380
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The United States is appealing to Russia and 
the Chechen guerrillas to seek peace talks after the 
rocketing of an open-air market in the Chechen capital 
Groszny Thursday that killed or wounded hundreds of 
civilians.  VOA's David Gollust reports from the White 
House.
TEXT:  Officials here say the Administration is still 
sorting through conflicting accounts and statements 
about Thursday's attack and is  not  ready to blame 
any side.  But Clinton spokesman Joe Lockhart says it 
is clear there has been a tragic situation with a 
terrible loss of life, and that the Chechen crisis 
cannot be resolved by military means alone: 
            /// LOCKHART ACTUALITY ///
      We are working hard now to find out what the 
      facts are. But we will continue, regardless of 
      this incident, to make clear to the Russians and 
      to both parties that there is no way to find a 
      purely military solution to this situation. 
      There needs to be a constructive political 
      dialogue and both parties need to engage in that 
      dialogue.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Lockhart said the United States has conveyed its 
concern to Moscow on various levels in recent weeks -- 
including a letter by President Clinton to President 
Boris Yeltsin in which he urged Russia  not  to 
"repeat the mistakes" of the massive offensive in 
Chechnya it launched in 1994.  
Mr. Yeltsin replied earlier this week with a message -
- parts of which were made public by the Kremlin -- in 
which he depicted Russia as a victim of "international 
terrorism" in Chechnya but said Moscow is open to 
dialogue with all Chechen leaders who reject violence 
and terror.
Mr. Lockhart said the Clinton letter reiterated the U-
S position that Chechnya is part of Russia.  But he 
also called on Moscow to avoid the "disproportionate" 
use of force, and said in defending its territory 
Russia should respect the independence and security 
concerns of neighboring states - especially Georgia 
and Azerbaijan.
The President is further said to have cautioned that 
progress toward a democratic, civil society in Russia 
would be jeopardized if authorities allowed a backlash 
against minorities or Muslims because of the Chechnya 
conflict. (Signed)
NEB/DAG/ENE/KL
22-Oct-1999 14:30 PM EDT (22-Oct-1999 1830 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.