Russian President Vladimir Putin has said political steps must be taken to try to resolve the crisis in Chechnya.

However, he has ruled out direct talks with the present rebel leadership under Aslan Maskhadov, whom he branded a "murderer".

Instead of negotiations Maskhadov chose the path of terror and backed the scum who seized hundreds of hostages

President Putin

He was speaking to leading Chechen public figures at the Kremlin, two weeks after special forces stormed a Moscow theatre seized by Chechen rebels.

The operation freed most of those held hostage, but more than 120 people died - the majority as a result of a gas intended to knock out the rebels.

Mr Putin sought to blame the rebels for the political stalemate, accusing them of dodging further contacts after "ostensibly" sending an envoy to Moscow in September last year.

"Instead of negotiations he (Maskhadov) chose the path of terror and stood behind the scum who seized hundreds of hostages in Moscow on 23 October," he said.

Mr Maskhadov, who was elected Chechen president in 1997 - before Russia launched a second war on the breakaway republic - has denied any role in the hostage-taking.

Referendum

Mr Putin met about a dozen pro-Moscow Chechens - including prominent businessmen and Chechnya's representative in the Russian parliament - in response to their appeal to speed up political processes to end the three-year conflict.

"The main threat to the terrorists and their accomplices are the constitutional processes going in Chechnya and the possibility of a political settlement", Mr Putin said.

The theatre seized by hostage-takers has re-opened to the public

The signatories of the appeal urged that a constitutional referendum be held in the republic, followed by elections, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Mr Putin told the group that he had not previously believed it necessary to hasten the constitutional process - "but if that is how you feel, I agree".

The Kremlin meeting came a day after human rights activists, liberal politicians and Chechen representatives gathered to discuss prospects for peace talks aimed at ending the conflict.

Saturday also saw the first performance at the Moscow theatre since it was taken over by Chechen gunmen.

Tears and applause greeted the actors as they came on stage for the memorial performance of the musical Nord-Ost on Saturday evening.

More than 40 hostage-takers were also killed when the building was stormed.