And Russian officials denied bombing the orphanage and accused secessionist rebels here of turning their own weapons against the city.

In Aceh, violence continues between the army and secessionist rebels, despite a negotiated cease-fire.

Nor did Mr. Wirajuda mention Indonesia's own war against secessionist rebels in Aceh Province.

A civil war between secessionist rebels and Soviet-backed Government troops has continued in the mountains of Eritrea for 27 years.

But he repeated his insistence that Russia's strategy to suppress secessionist rebels in Chechnya, which has involved large-scale bombardment of civilian areas, was counterproductive.

Meanwhile, fighting between Serbian forces and secessionist ethnic Albanian rebels continue.

Chinese government troops and secessionist rebels fought a battle at Guangzhou (Canton), with 1,200 people being killed.

The delivery of emergency relief supplies has been delayed and frustrated by an intractable war between Government troops and secessionist rebels.

Government troops and secessionist rebels battled for a fourth day today for Ethiopia's vital Red Sea port of Massawa, the state radio said.

Mr. Lebed has been seeking one unsuccessfully for weeks to explain personally his efforts to end the conflict with secessionist rebels in Chechnya.