Among Chechen separatists there 300 foreign hirelings who will not be included in amnesty

Today among members of illegal armed formations in Chechnya there are 300 foreign hirelings, Secretary of the Chechen Security Council Rudnik Dudayev has reported.

"Over 70 of them act under Maskhadov's command," Dudayev stated. "These people will not be amnestied." Amnesty will only be valid for those who did not commit grave crimes.

On Wednesday the State Duma /the lower chamber of the Russian parliament/ started considering a draft decree on announcing amnesty in Chechnya introduced by the Russian President.

In compliance with the draft decree the amnesty is supposed to be valid for those who committed socially dangerous acts on the territory of the former Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the period from August 1st 1993 to the day when the State Duma decree comes into force.

Besides, these people must no longer be members of illegal armed formations and stop armed resistance or lay down their weapons and military equipment till August 1st 2003.