The main task today is to make Chechnya a normal constituent entity of the Russian Federation, enjoying broad autonomy effectively provided by the Russian Constitution.  Full authority should be transferred gradually to the Chechen people.  It would not be possible to achieve that goal without a constitution for the republic.  Therefore, a referendum will be held in Chechnya on March 23.  The new draft constitution and two draft laws (on presidential elections and on parliamentery elections) will be put on the table.   In this way, the declaration of the will of the people should give the green light to the establishment of legitimate authority for the republic.

Sergei Yastrzhembsky is assistant to the president of the Russian Federation.  His previous posts in government have included service as Russian Ambassador to Slovakia and as press secretary to President Boris Yeltsin.