1.   And Russian military continued to block the border of the rebellious region, refusing to let refugees from the fighting leave Chechnya.

2.   A U.S. marketing firm associated with Abkhazia, the rebellious Caucasus region in the northwest of Georgia, wants to undo both stereotypes.

3.   In an attempt to stimulate the discussions, Russian Prime Minister Viktor S. Chernomyrdin sent the delegates a proposal Tuesday for future economic assistance to the rebellious region.

4.   Putin, in a joint news conference with Schroeder, said the two leaders had also discussed the continuing Russian military campaign in the rebellious region of Chechnya.

5.   Russia has made overtures to assist Georgia in policing the area, which borders on the rebellious region of Chechnya, but has been rebuffed.

6.   A leading liberal politician said Tuesday that Russia must establish a secure border around Chechnya to halt the spread of terrorism and crime from the rebellious region.

7.   A top Russian lawmaker assured Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze on Tuesday that Russia would channel aid to a rebellious region only through the Georgian government.

8.   Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze issued rare criticism of Russia on Monday, accusing it of violating Georgian sovereignty by sending aid to a rebellious region.

9.   Russian troops nominally control most of Chechnya after rolling into the rebellious region in September, and are chasing rebel bands hiding in the southern mountains.

10.   Russia has occupied most of the rebellious region, but small bands of rebels have kept fighting, using the rugged southern mountains to hide their movements.