U.S. urges Chechen rebels to cut terrorism ties

WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday welcomed Russia's offer for talks with Chechen separatists and urged them to cut ties with terrorist groups, handing a diplomatic victory to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But President George W. Bush coupled the welcome with a call for Putin to respect human rights in Russia's Chechnya province, long a source of U.S.-Russian frictions.

The U.S. welcome of Putin's peace initiative -- which the Russian leader reinforced with a 72-hour deadline for acceptance -- followed Putin's offer of limited support for the U.S.-led effort to combat terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

The White House denied there was any deal linking the two actions.

"The Chechen leadership, like all responsible political leaders around the world, must immediately and unconditionally cut all contact with international terrorist groups such as Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda organization," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told Reuters.

Bush later told reporters, "I would hope that the Russian president, while dealing with the al Qaeda organization, also respects minority rights within his country."

Bush has accused bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi-born militant, and his al Qaeda network of masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that left nearly 7,000 dead or missing and presumed dead. Bin Laden denies responsibility.

The White House said on Wednesday the United States has known for years that al Qaeda had connections in Chechnya.

"To the extent that there are terrorists in Chechnya, Arab terrorists associated with the al Qaeda organization, I believe they ought to be brought to justice," Bush said. "We do believe there's some al Qaeda folks in Chechnya."

The United States has long criticized Russia for using excessive force against the Chechen rebels, and in last year's presidential campaign Bush said he would cut off aid to Russia until it withdrew from Chechnya.

NO DEAL, WHITE HOUSE SAYS

Putin on Monday coupled the offer for talks on Chechnya with his offer of limited support for the U.S.-led effort to combat global terrorism, which Fleischer said included permission for humanitarian flights over Russian territory, intelligence information and help in potential search and rescue operations.

But Fleischer denied there was any "deal" exchanging U.S. support on Chechnya for Russia's cooperation on terrorism. "No such conclusion should be reached," Fleischer told reporters.

Putin's offer opens the door to a political settlement, Fleischer said. "The United States has always said that only a political process can resolve the conflict in Chechnya, and we welcome the steps by the Russians to engage the Chechen leadership," he said.

He also welcomed as an "encouraging sign" Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov's naming of an envoy for the talks, although there is doubt in theregion over whether Maskhadov has control over hard-line rebels in Chechnya.

The U.S. statement on Chechnya "demonstrates growing understanding in the United States, although still with reservations, that the normalization of the situation in Chechnya is closely intertwined with the struggle against international terrorism," a Kremlin spokesman said.

Interfax news agency quoted spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky as saying the U.S. statement also confirms the links between bin Laden and the "irreconcilable" Chechen rebel leaders.

Western officials have said the crisis set off by the Sept. 11 attacks has led to a reshaping of relations with Russia. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, after meeting Putin on Tuesday, hinted the West would take a softer line toward Russia over Chechnya.

Fleischer denied the United States had violated any principles in wooing states including Russia to join an anti-terror coalition.

"American policy will still be based on what's right for America, in accordance with enduring principles of human rights (and) cooperation with nations around the world in accordance with those principles," he said.