Putin Sacks General; Chechnya Talks Raised

President Vladimir V. Putin fired his top general in Chechnya on Wednesday and a Kremlin aide said authorities might hold talks with Chechen separatists who have put down their arms.

It was the first time since rebels led a deadly hostage-taking raid on a Moscow theater in October that the Kremlin suggested talks were possible.

Putin dismissed Gen. Gennady Troshev a day after Troshev publicly rebuffed Russia’s defense minister by announcing his refusal of a new assignment in Siberia.

The general said his departure would mean that he is “betraying the district’s servicemen and the people of Chechnya.”

Troshev will be replaced by Col. Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev, previously the commander of the Siberian military district, the Kremlin said.

It was unclear what would happen to Troshev, although some analysts have speculated that he will try to enter politics, perhaps seeking the presidency of Chechnya.

Meanwhile, Kremlin aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said dialogue with all forces in Chechnya -- including separatists -- was necessary in the run-up to a proposed constitutional referendum in the breakaway republic.

“We should find ways to contact those separatists who are hiding out and are no longer involved in any terrorist activities. If a new amnesty is necessary, maybe we will consider this,” he told Russian radio.

After the hostage crisis, Putin ruled out negotiations with rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov. At the time, Yastrzhembsky said that meant there was no one left to talk to.

Also Wednesday, the lower house of parliament appealed to Putin to develop a comprehensive plan for bringing peace to Chechnya and to resume partial troop withdrawals. The military announced after the hostage raid that it was abandoning plans for withdrawals.