Russia blasts Council of Europe

Russia has accused the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe of holding secret talks with the Chechen leadership.

A Russian presidential spokesman, Sergey Yastrzhembskiy, said Moscow had found out about a telephone conversation held behind Moscow's back between the chairman of the parliamentary assembly, Lord Russell-Johnston, and the Chechen president, Aslan Maskhadov.

Mr Yastrzhembsky said the discussions amounted to a joint attempt to force Russia to negotiate an end to its campaign in Chechnya.

The Council of Europe has consistently criticised Russia over its human rights record in Chechnya and called for a negotiated settlement.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service