(23 Jan 1995) T/I 00:13:22

STORY: SITUATION
LOCATION: CHECHNYA-MOSCOW
DATE: 18 JANUARY 1995
DURATION: 1.30

Yeltsin rules out talks with Dudayev

Chechen rebels in the city centre of Grozny on Wednesday (18/1)
claimed to have forced back government troops, saying they were
close to wiping out all the gains made by the Russian army in two
weeks of bitter fighting. The Russians however appeared to be
moving in for the final push to take the Presidential palace
bombing it with round after round of rocket amd artillery fire.
Sukhoi fighter jets, flying in pairs, bombarded the city,
rocketing buildings, and a Tupolev heavy bomber was seen flying
back from a mission. But the Chechens had clearly taken the train
station and were fighting for the market, which the Russians had
used as a base for attacks on the presidential palace, symbol of
Chechnya's independence drive. The Russian army captured the
railway station at the beginning of January. Chances of a
cease-fire appeared slim, despite earlier Russian peace overtures.
President Boris Yeltsin ruled out talks with the rebel government,
and Chechen fighters said they would never lay down their arms.
Chechen representatives said, after talks with Russia's prime
minister in Moscow on Tuesday, that both sides agreed to stop
using heavy artillery by Wednesday evening as a first step towards
a full cease-fire. But the Russian army was depending on artillery
to hold its positions in Grozny. At a Kremlin meeting on
Wednesday, Yeltsin said talks with Chechen leader, Dzhokhar
Dudayev, were out of the question. "We do not want to hold direct
talks with Dudayev because he carried out genocide against his own
people," Yeltsin said at an awards ceremony for journalists.

SHOWS:

(GROZNY, CHECHNYA 18/1) SOT of rocket fire overhead.
Chechen soldiers duck for cover. Highshot of residents running for
cover across snowy square. Chechen fighters enter shelter. Chechen
fighter firing at jet in sky, PAN to jet flying overhead. Jet
fighter flying overhead. Residents evacuating with baggage.
Building smoking. Chechen fighters running past houses.
(DUBOVSKAYA, CHECHNYA, 18/1) Convoy of Russian apc's along road.
Russian soldier waves from top of vehicle. Tanks along road, from
reverse direction. Guns on tank. Tank disappearing down road.
(MOSCOW, 18/1) WS Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, with
reporters. Yeltsin saying he is unwilling to speak directly with
Chechen President Dudayev. Yeltsin turns and walks away.
(GROZNY, Chechnya, 18/1) Red Cross convoy along road. Red Cross
official waves vehicle on. Goods being unloaded.

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