31.   A Russian military spokesman in Dushanbe said five rebels were killed in a clash Sunday on the Pyanj River, which demarcates the border with Afghanistan.

32.   Alexander Veledeyev, a Russian navy spokesman, said the fire ignited ammunition boxes and subsequently touched off some artillery rounds which were intended to be destroyed.

33.   An unidentified Russian military spokesman confirmed the decision to shell the town.

34.   Asked Tuesday about the confusion, a Russian spokesman reasserted his earlier statement and said that Iraqi denial could have been motivated by domestic policy reasons.

35.   But a Russian military spokesman quoted by Interfax denied Moscow had made any attempt to storm the village.

36.   Chernomyrdin, who has been mediating between NATO and Yugoslavia with little success so far, will be accompanied by Finnish President Matti Ahtisaari, a Russian spokesmen said.

37.   However, a Russian military spokesman told Interfax that Russians had not attempted to storm Bamut, near the border with neighboring Ingushetia.

38.   However, Chechen representatives failed to show up for a meeting of a bilateral commission overseeing implementation of the agreement, a Russian military spokesman told ITAR-Tass.

39.   However, Russian spokesman Khabirov said the holdup was the fault of UNHCR.

40.   In Moscow, Russian navy spokesman Dmitry Burmistov said he had no comment on the television report and officials at the Northern Fleet could not immediately be reached.