Скачать или смотреть RUSSIA: CHECHNYA: RED CROSS CONVOY ARRIVES IN GROZNY

(17 Feb 1995) English/Nat

Two cease-fire agreements have failed to halt the war in Chechnya, but Russian and Chechen military commanders returned to the negotiating table Friday for another try, extending the present "truce" until Sunday.

Despite the sporadic fighting, three Red Cross trucks loaded with 20 tons of food arrived in Grozny Friday - the first humanitarian shipment to reach the devastated capital.

At the meeting in Nazran, the two sides agreed to exchange prisoners and the bodies of war dead at noon on Saturday. One mediator at the talks said it could take at least a month to end all military operations in Chechnya.

There has been fighting all week in southern parts of Grozny and nearby villages, despite an agreement last week as well as a limited truce two days earlier.

Neither side has showed a willingness to compromise. The Russians want the Chechens to surrender their weapons, and the Chechens want the Russian troops to leave.

Despite sporadic gunfire, three Red Cross trucks carrying 20 tons of food delivered their first shipment of humanitarian aid to Grozny. There were reports of gun and artillery fire in Grozny and a village to the south.

A Red Cross spokesman said it had taken them a week of negotiations to get the aid through.

SOUNDBITE:
"Obviously we're very pleased that after a week of fairly hard negotiations actually we have got through all the checkpoints this morning and that we're finally here, with obviously very needed relief supplies."
SUPER CAPTION: Terry Lewis, Regional Director, ICRC

As well as handing out food, the Red Cross took in forms to try and put local people in touch with relatives who fled during the heavy fighting for the city.

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