Moscow - Pollsters said today that 42.8 per cent of Russians support Moscow's Chechnya policy and 46.4 per cent oppose it.

Russia's independent ROMIR opinion studies center, a member of Gallup International, reported a survey conducted late this month according to which 37.3 per cent of Russians expect large-scale hostilities to resume in Chechnya soon, 18.2 per cent believe the Russians will liquidate the main Chechen rebel leaders, 12.9 per cent think the pro-Russian Chechen administration will be able to restore law and order in the region, 8.5 per cent expect an agreement to give Chechnya independence, and 4.1 per cent imagine other scenarios.

According to ROMIR, 38.3 per cent of Russians wish the war to go on until the rebel movement is stamped out, 15.3 per cent want Russia to pull its troops out and give Chechnya complete independence, 14.7 per cent wish Russian forces in the region to be cut in number, 13 per cent would like the pro-Moscow Chechen administration to be entrusted with restoring law and order in the region, and 6.8 per cent believe Chechnya could be put under international control.

ROMIR questioned 2,000 people.

Interfax