Chechnya - Inauguration of Maskhadov

(12 Feb 1997) T/I: 10:55:08 Separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov vowed to consolidate Chechnya's independence from Russia on Wednesday (12/2) as he was sworn in as president of the breakaway republic. Maskhadov commanded the Chechen forces in their 21-month war to drive out Russian troops sent to restore Moscow's rule. Russian Security Council Secretary Ivan Rybkin attended the ceremony, as did his predecessor Alexander Lebed, who negotiated the peace accord ending the war last August but was later sacked by President Boris Yeltsin. Outside the hall, about 1,000 Chechen fighters swore their loyalty to Maskhadov, then fired a thunderous volley of automatic weapons fire in the air for about 10 minutes, the traditional Chechen way to celebrate. SHOWS: RUSSIA, 12/2 GROZNY, CHECHNYA, RUSSIA WS crowd outside Cultural Centre where inauguration took place; President Ruslan Aushev of Ingushetia (in uniform) arriving for inauguration; Soldier on balcony; man in audience speaking to man in glasses; Aushev seated with former Russian Security Council Secretary Alexander Lebed; Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov leads chanting; boy chanting; WS stage and music; GVs chanting on stage; audience chanting; Maskhadov salutes shouting; Maskhadov addressing audience; Chechen soldiers firing weapons into air; WS podium inside Cultural Center after inauguration ceremony, presser of Alexander Lebed; RUSSIAN SOT, Lebed: "It's a complicated process, it has to be looked at with a clear head. We need to put the guns aside and start over"; CA soldiers in audience; RUSSIAN SOT, Lebed, continues: "I began the process and I'm glad it ended this way"; MOSCOW Exterior Russian White House; VS Communist protestors with banners. 3.09 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...