Russian and Chechen officials agree to work together

Russian officials say they've agreed to work with the Chechen leadership to restore the republic's ruined economy.

After talks in the Chechen capital, Grozny, the Russian deputy prime minister, Ramazan Abdulatipov, said the two sides had agreed on a series of projects to help Chechnya recover from war damage.

He said money would come from the Chechen and Russian budgets and from investment projects under Russian guarantees.

The former Chechen rebel commander, Shamil Basayev, said his republic was willing to cooperate with Moscow.

Mr Abdulatipov's visit came four days after the Russian Interior Minister threatened preventative strikes against bandits in Chechnya.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service