Chechnya president finalises cabinet

The President of the breakaway southern Russian republic of Chechnya, Aslan Maskhadov, has finalised a new cabinet, appointing the rival he defeated for the presidency, Shamil Basayev, as his most senior government minister.

Mr Maskhadov himself retains the posts of prime minister and commander in chief of the armed forces.

Mr Basayev who led a hostage taking-raid on the southern Russian town of Budenovsk in 1995, remains on the Russian government list of wanted criminals.

Despite last May's peace agreement tensions remain high between Russia and Chechnya, which sees itself as independent, while Moscow sees it still as a Russian province.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service