In his first address to the Chechen people, posted on 14 March on chechenpress.co.uk, Abdul-Khalim Sadulaev, who was identified last week as the legitimate successor to slain Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, said the latter\'s death will not change the Chechen leadership\'s commitment to \"the total restoration of the country\'s independence from Russia.\" Sadulaev said that \"the Chechen people are capable of demolishing the pride of its foe in the person of the Russian empire and forcing it [to accept] peace.\" He added that \"we do not accept every conceivable form of violence against innocent people,\" but went on to qualify that statement by adding that \"we have the right to act against the enemy using the methods that are acceptable to God.\" Similarly, Sadulaev affirmed the Chechens\' willingness to act within the framework of international law, but added that Chechens\' respect for democratic values should not be abused in order to impose on the Chechen people \"laws that contradict our national values.\" Sadulaev spoke at length and in respectful terms of Maskhadov\'s role as president and military leader, and he appealed to the Chechen people to demonstrate \"watchfulness and patience\" in the ongoing struggle against Russian forces. (RFE/RL)