Paris, 27 January: Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov's envoy, Akhmed Zakayev, was received on Friday at the French Foreign Ministry and the National Education Ministry. The press service of the French Foreign Ministry confirmed this development to ITAR-TASS today.

Zakayev met deputy director of the Foreign Ministry continental Europe department and French Education Minister Jack Lang, the Foreign Ministry spokesman reported. According to the spokesman, the Paris meetings with Zakayev "help to assess better possibilities for continuing a political dialogue (on the Chechen problem) for which France calls".

"We again confirm our commitment to a search for a political settlement of the Chechen conflict with respect for the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. We denounce any terrorist acts as well as violence against civil population," he added.

Asked about his opinion that Moscow can see the meetings with Zakayev as "an unfriendly act", the spokesman said: "According to tradition, we receive many guests in the framework of 'information talks'. The meetings with Mr Zakayev were held precisely in this framework."

Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 1301 gmt 27 Jan 02