World Report: February 7, 1997 Vol.2 No.17
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
A New Chief For Chechnya
The people of Chechnya, a region of Russia, elected a new President last week. Aslan Maskhadov, 45, won by a landslide. Friends and foes agree that Maskhadov is a moderate and capable leader. International and Russian observers all agree that the election was democratic and honest. Sounds perfect, right? But there's one hitch: Maskhadov has promised his people that Chechnya will be independent from Russia.
For 21 months, Russia was caught in a terrible war as Chechens fought to make Chechnya a separate nation. The war left thousands dead but did not resolve the issue of independence.
Maskhadov was the head of the Chechen army. He negotiated the peace treaty that led to the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya. But will he be able to negotiate independence without another war?
