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ALKHANOV NEGATES POSSIBILITY OF TALKS WITH MASKHADOV AND BASAEV

GROZNY, October 11 (RIA Novosti) - Alu Alkhanov is ready to talk with only those who want peace in Chechnya, the Chechen president told the press conference in Grozny.

He commented on the rumour in Strasbourg that talks may be held with Maskhadov and Basaev.

"We have no points of contact with Maskhadov and Basaev", the stressed.

Simultaneously, the Chechen president is "ready to talks with anybody whose hands are not stained with blood and who are interested in peace in the Chechen republic".

Alkhanov said that the matter of international terrorism was also raised in Strasbourg.

"It is no simple situation. It is complicated but there are signs allowing us to believe that we can get out of the impasse", Alkhanov said. And stressed that "our problems should be handled more closely".

According to Alkhanov, kidnapping numbers are being reduced in Chechnya.

"Our biggest problem is kidnapping. Today's statistics say that the kind of crime has been reducing from 2002", Alkhanov said.

If this problem is resolved in Chechnya, "it will be the best yardstick of our work".

This question was raised during Alkhanov's visit to Strasbourg. "I met with secretary general of the Council of Europe Terry Davis and we exchanged opinions. I most objectively brought home to him the information on the number of abductions and human rights violations in Chechnya", Alkhanov said.

Unfortunately, these questions are still topical and unresolved to this day, he said. "I did not try to camouflage them and brought them home to parliamentarians", he stressed.

He noted that "a constructive dialogue" was held in Strasbourg.

"In the Council of Europe they voiced a serious desire to give us assistance, including humanitarian", Alkhanov told reporters. "We want it. We want concrete and pinpoint assistance", he said.

Alkhanov said that he had asked the Council of Europe to think of the possibility of letting young people study in countries of Europe "because the Chechen colleges and institutions are not meeting the command of the time".

Alkhanov also asked for getting technical aids and equipment for Chechen hospitals and polyclinics.

"Such proposals have been prepared and passed to the Council of Europe through the federal centre", Alkhanov said.

He voiced the hope that "a practical solution" will be found for the Chechnya-related questions raised in Strasbourg.