Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected any dialogue with Chechen separatists, blamed for at least 338 deaths in the school hostage siege, as thousands rallied against terrorism in Moscow. 

"Why do not you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace?" Putin was quoted Tuesday by Britain's Guardian newspaper as saying.

"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are child-killers?" Putin told foreign journalists and academics late on Monday, as he ruled out a public inquiry.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators waving banners and flags gathered in Moscow's Red Square yesterday in a show of unity against terrorism as the country mourned the hundreds of victims of a hostage-taking at a school in southern Russia.

More than 100,000 people were expected to take part in the evening rally in the capital, organized by a pro-government trade union and advertised on state-controlled television by celebrities who appealed to citizens to turn out to say no to terror.

"I have been crying for so many days and I came here to feel that we are actually together," said Vera Danilina, 57.

Television newscasts and slick advertisements featuring cultural and sports personalities have been promoting the rally, and media quoted city police as saying they expected at least 100,000 people to take part.

"What has happened in recent days cannot be called anything but war," figure-skating champion Igor Bobrin said in one advertisement for the 5 PM rally.

"We must feel that we are standing shoulder to shoulder."

Putin has refused to order a public inquiry into how the school in Russia's North Ossetia region was captured by militants and then ended with a high death toll, the British Guardian newspaper reported yesterday.

Putin made the comments during an extraordinary three-and-a-half-hour meeting with a group of foreign journalists and academics in his country house outside Moscow late on Monday.

It was Putin's first meeting with foreigners since last week's catastrophe in the school in Beslan.

In the meeting, Putin also vehemently denied a link between Russia's policies in Chechnya and the hostage-taking.

At the meeting, Putin said those who call for talks with Chechen leaders have no conscience.

However, during the question-and-answer session, Putin said he would hold an internal inquiry into the Beslan tragedy after a three-day standoff with militants who demanded Chechnya's independence.

"I want to establish the chronicle of events and find out who is responsible and might be punished," Putin said.

If the Russian parliament wanted to set up its own inquiry, he would not object, Putin said, adding however that such an inquiry would not be very productive.

Russian officials believe Shamil Basayev, the most extreme Chechen commander, was responsible for the hostage-taking.

In another development, Putin has put off a visit to Germany that had been scheduled for later this week, the Kremlin said yesterday.

Putin's press service said the two-day visit, planned for Friday and Saturday, would be held later at an unspecified time.

Due to the attack last week, there were speculations on the German side that Russian president might not be able to come to Germany.

Schroeder and Putin have met regularly in the past. They chaired the bilateral governmental consultation in July in Moscow and held a trilateral summit with French President Jacques Chirac last week in the Russian resort of Sotschi.

(China Daily September 8, 2004)