51.   Large-scale fighting has mostly ended in the small separatist republic, but rebel attacks continue to bleed Russian troops daily and sap military morale.

52.   Late Saturday, Maskhadov signed an agreement outlining customs procedures between the separatist republic and federal government.

53.   Last week, Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov announced the start of a crackdown on oil thieves, saying they were costing the separatist republic millions of dollars a month.

54.   Lebed flew to the separatist republic Sunday after Yeltsin made him his special envoy, and met overnight with Maskhadov and a high-ranking rebel delegation.

55.   Lebed has urged the withdrawal of Russian troops from the separatist southern republic and a quick, negotiated end to the fighting.

56.   Lebed flew to the separatist republic Sunday after Yeltsin made him his special envoy, meeting overnight with Maskhadov and a high-ranking rebel delegation.

57.   Meanwhile, international relief groups complained Wednesday that humanitarian aid was not reaching the separatist republic.

58.   Maskhadov is both president and prime minister of the separatist republic.

59.   Mikhailov and other Russian authorities appeared determined the rebel gunmen would not escape back to their separatist republic.

60.   Now it has been reduced to ruins by relentless Russian firepower that has leveled village after village in the western part of the separatist republic.