MOSCOW, Feb. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Leaders of Russia's Chechen Republic called on Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov to surrender, ruling out negotiations with him, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.

    Chechen President Alu Alkhanov said in a statement that "there is no question of talks with those involved in bloody crimes against society. The only and real way for them to save their lives is through a voluntary surrender."

    Media reports said earlier that Maskhadov had called for peace talks with the Chechen authorities and that he had voiced his readiness to hand over rebel movement leaders to an international tribunal.

    Alkhanov is said to have not ruled out the possibility of dialogue with those "whose hands are not stained with blood and who are ready to lay down arms, if it brings practical results."

    Chechen Vice Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov described Maskhadov's statement as an attempt to escape from personal responsibility for his crimes, Interfax reported.

    "All truce talks or negotiations are nothing but ploys used by Chechen warlords to get a recipe to prepare new terrorist acts and murders," Kadyrov said.

    Kadyrov said Maskhadov should lay down his arms and surrender to the authorities if he is serious about wanting peace. Enditem