Putin fires top general in Chechnya

MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin fired his top general in Chechnya on Wednesday and a Kremlin aide said authorities might hold talks with Chechen separatists who have put down their arms.

It was the first time since rebels led a deadly hostage-taking raid on a Moscow theater in October that the Kremlin suggested talks with separatists were possible. It also suggested it might amnesty former rebels to help start talks.

Putin dismissed Col. Gen. Gennady Troshev, commander of the North Caucasus military district, replacing him with Col. Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev, previously the commander of the Siberian military district, the Kremlin said.

On Tuesday, Troshev told journalists he had been offered the post of Siberian commander, but said he had no interest in leaving Chechnya.

He said his departure would mean he is "betraying the district's servicemen and the people of Chechnya, who believe that there is an anti-terrorist operation going on and that it is really nearing an end."

Meanwhile, Kremlin aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said dialogue with all forces in Chechnya -- including separatists -- was necessary in the run-up to a proposed constitutional referendum in the breakaway republic.

"We should find ways to contact those separatists who are hiding out and are no longer involved in any terrorist activities. If a new amnesty is necessary, maybe we will consider this option," Yastrzhembsky said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

He singled out members of the rebels' separatist parliament as people who should be brought into a Chechnya-wide dialogue.

After the hostage-taking raid, Putin had ruled out negotiations with rebel President Aslan Maskhadov. At the time, Yastrzhembsky said that meant there was no one left with whom to talk.

Putin has signed a decree, calling for a referendum on a constitution in Chechnya, which would outline the divisions of power between Russia and the separatist republic. The referendum, planned for March, would pave the way for elections.

Aslanbek Aslakhanov, a federal lawmaker representing Chechnya, also urged dialogue about the draft constitution. He initially opposed a referendum, saying peace must first be established before a vote can be held.

The plan for a referendum is the Kremlin's answer to calls for a political solution to the conflict in Chechnya, where the second war in less than a decade is now in its fourth year and Russian servicemen die nearly every day.

Also Wednesday, the lower house of parliament, appealed to Putin to develop a comprehensive plan for bringing to peace to Chechnya and to resume partial troop withdrawals. The military announced after the hostage raid that it was abandoning plans for partial troop withdrawals.