71.   Earlier Russian and Chechen negotiators said the bloody six-month war between Chechen independence fighters and Russian troops may be close to an end.

72.   The optimistic statement promised speedy help in rebuilding the thousands of homes destroyed in the war between independence fighters and Russian forces.

73.   The Russians captured the city from Chechen independence fighters in some of the heaviest artillery and aerial bombardments since World War II.

74.   The Russians insist on total surrender by the independence fighters and the rebels insist on a withdrawal of Russian troops.

75.   The soldier was wounded during fighting with independence fighters in the town of Gudermes, ITAR-TASS said.

76.   The Russian negotiators are calling for a resumption of full-scale political talks on the future status of Chechnya next week, but the independence fighters have yet to agree.

77.   The Russians insist on total surrender by the independence fighters and the rebels insist on the withdrawal of Russian troops.

78.   The task force has beseiged the capital Grozny, but has been under constant harrassment from lightly armed, but defiant Chechen independence fighters.

79.   The task force beseiging Grozny has been under constant harrassment from lightly armed but defiant Chechen independence fighters.

80.   The speech was largely devoted to defending the war against the Moslem Chechen independence fighters.