41.  In Moscow, Russian spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky sought Wednesday to ease Yugoslav concerns about the measure.

42.  Lt. Col. Vasily Panchenkov, a Russian military spokesman, said Chechen fighters were laying down their weapons in three towns and villages Thursday.

43.  Lt. Col. Vasily Panchenkov, a Russian military spokesman, said Chechen fighters were laying down weapons in three towns Thursday.

44.  Meanwhile, Russian military spokesman Col. Alexander Georgiyev accused the Chechen side of blocking numerous attempts to exchange prisoners.

45.  President Boris Yeltsin has no immediate plans to meet with U.S. President Bill Clinton to discuss a new strategic arms reduction treaty, the Russian presidential spokesman said Monday.

46.  Putin, meanwhile, met with Jiang and the leaders urged a quick end to the fighting, said Russian spokesman Alexei Gromov.

47.  Russian military spokesman Roman Sokolovsky blamed Chechen rebels for the missed deadline, accusing them of failing to adhere to the peace accord and mounting frequent attacks.

48.  Russian spokesmen, who have repeatedly denied bombing attacks that were witnessed by journalists and others, blamed the refinery fire on Chechen mines.

49.  Russian military spokesmen denied any attacks on villages.

50.  Russian navy spokesman Vadim Serga said cutting into the two-inch inner hull could be completed by Tuesday.