31.   Under the plan, the provisional council would put together the two-year transitional government.

32.   He formed a provisional military council and promised a return to civilian rule in four years.

33.   He said the ruling armed forces provisional council managed to crush the rebellion but did not provide any further details.

34.   But the opposition camp is diffuse, with the provisional council faced by a faction loyal to the former Supreme Soviet parliamentary president Ruslan Khasbulatov, a Chechen.

35.   But the provisional council, which was set up by an elected Chechen parliament before it was thrown out by Dudayev, claims that it already has democratic legitimacy.

36.   The opposition, one of whose factions, the provisional council, Russia overtly supports, is demanding the resignation of President Dudayev.

37.   The Russian-backed opposition, called the provisional council, admits getting Russian help, but also denies that regular Russian soldiers are in its ranks.

38.   The so-called provisional council is led by Umar Avturkhanov and claims to be the legitimate government of the tiny Caucasus republic.

39.   The provisional council says it controls almost all access to the capital.

40.   The provisional council, set up early last month, on Sunday announced its intention to intensify the armed struggle against the government.