Meeting in Berlin on July 5, diplomatic representatives abroad of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria (ChRI) drafted a manifesto addressed to participants of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg reaffirming the readiness of the Chechen resistance to embark on immediate and unconditional peace talks to end the ongoing war and stabilize the situation across the North Caucasus. The manifesto, signed by ChRI Foreign Minister Akhmed Zakayev and posted on July 13 on the resistance website chechenpress.org, stresses that while the Chechen people regard independence as the most fundamental guarantee of their security, they would agree to talks on an unspecified alternative solution in line with international law. It stresses the Chechen leadership\'s rejection of \"all forms of violence\" against civilians, including acts of terrorism. Former Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov issued a similar appeal for peace talks on the eve of the G8 summit in Canada in June 2002. (RFE/RL)