Russia Rejects Chechen Calls for Talks

Russian forces hammered the capital of Chechnya with savage barrages of artillery and rocket fire Thursday as Moscow rejected Chechen pleas for talks to end the fighting. Western diplomats increased pressure on Moscow to seek peace.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor S. Ivanov said Russia was “prepared to end the military actions even tomorrow,” but only if Chechen rebels surrender--a condition the Chechens won’t accept.

Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov appealed to Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin for negotiations in an open letter Thursday.

Russian troops stationed on the Terek Ridge that looms about six miles north of Grozny lashed the capital with rockets and shells.

Ivanov discussed Chechnya with Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen on Thursday in Helsinki, ahead of talks with Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek today. Vollebaek said he would try to persuade Moscow to allow the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which he heads, to base a mission in the conflict zone.

Russia says its Chechnya campaign is aimed at liquidating Islamic rebels. Chechnya has been effectively independent since defeating Russian forces in 1996.

Russian Col. Gen. Valery Manilov said about 280 Russian troops had been killed since September, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a freelance cameraman for Moscow-based TV-Tsentr was killed by gunfire in Chechnya as he taped a bombing raid, a human rights group said Thursday.

Ramzan Mezhidov, 32, died after the Oct. 29 air attack, the Glasnost Defense Foundation said.