GROZNY -- A general commanding one of the Russian armored columns sent to encircle the Chechen capital Grozny effectively mutinied Friday, refusing to advance any further because he would not shoot at civilians.


Russian NTV television reported that, after four days of heavy fighting, there was no shelling or aerial bombing around Grozny on Friday. And in Moscow, Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin offered to meet for peace talks with the Chechen president, Dzhokhar Dudayev, anywhere he chose.


General Ivan Babichev told 1,000 Chechen villagers gathered where the column has stopped some 35 kilometers from Grozny: "We're not going to use tanks against the people. We are not going any further.


"It is not our fault that we are here. We did not want this," the general, in fur hat and combat uniform, told the crowd.


"This (operation) contradicted the constitution. It is forbidden to use the army against peaceful civilians. It is forbidden to shoot at the people."


Babichev, whose declaration was filmed by Reuters television, was embraced by weeping women after he spoke.


The general said he had seen many Chechens crying since he crossed into the rebel region earlier this week -- "I had tears in my eyes too."


Babichev's dramatic remarks followed a report Thursday on British ITN news that he had been recalled by Moscow for failing to push through to Grozny.


Earlier on Friday, Chernomyrdin announced that he was willing to meet with Dudayev for new talks on resolving the conflict.


Dudayev in turn ordered his forces to pull back one kilometer from all front-line positions taken against the troops sent by Moscow to end the mainly Moslem region's three-year-old bid for independence from Russia. Itar-Tass reported later Friday that the Chechen forces were pulling back.


But the Chechen president also threw cold water on any hopes for a peaceful settlement, declining Chernomyrdin's offer of talks until all Russian forces withdrew from Chechnya -- a possibility Chernomyrdin had already ruled out in making his offer.


Chernomyrdin had said that whether or not talks were restarted, separatist fighters in the southern region must lay down their arms by President Boris Yeltsin's deadline of midnight Saturday.


"I am ready to meet Dudayev in Moscow, in Grozny, in any place which would be deemed as appropriate," Chernomyrdin told Interfax news agency. But he said Russian troops would continue operations inside Chechnya and warned they would "go to the end to reach a definite solution to the Chechen problem" if the ultimatum were ignored.


Dudayev reiterated his demand that all Russian forces must first be pulled out of Chechnya.


"We suggest immediate termination of combat operations, withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechen territory and summit talks without any preconditions," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.


With neither side showing any sign of willingness to comply with the other's demand, the chances of new talks getting under way appeared as remote as before Yeltsin's 48-hour extension of his deadline to Chechnya on Thursday.


In Moscow, members of the Security Council met Friday night for an emergency session on the crisis. Defense Minister Pavel Grachev, Interior Minister Viktor Yerin and Counterintelligence Service chief Sergei Stepashin flew back to Moscow for the talks from North Ossetia, where they have been coordinating the military operation, Interfax reported.


The meeting was chaired by Chernomyrdin. No details were available of what was said at the talks or who else was present. Yeltsin, who has been in hospital since the weekend for minor surgery, was not attending, according to his press office.


Yeltsin's absence came as a surprise, because earlier in the day, the president had recovered sufficiently to receive visiting U.S. Vice President Al Gore in his hospital room for lengthy discussions.


The Russian advance into Chechnya has been beset with problems from the outset. Only one of the three columns taking part in the assault was able to proceed without holdups and has now taken up positions on high ground overlooking Grozny, about seven kilometers from the city's northern outskirts.


A third thrust from the east ran into early trouble when Chechens took some 40 Russian soldiers prisoner. That column was later diverted and joined up with the northern group.


Yeltsin, who ordered the troops into Chechnya on Sunday, offered Dudayev high-level talks Thursday as a last attempt to avert full-scale war. But he said Dudayev's forces should disarm by midnight Saturday. The Chechen leader responded with an offer to renew talks, which collapsed Wednesday.


Interfax quoted Chernomyrdin as saying he doubted Dudayev was sincere in his commitment to negotiate.


The Chechen separatists have so far ignored repeated demands to lay down their arms and Dudayev has refused to recognize his republic as part of the Russian Federation.


Russia has said it would not storm Grozny but would instead blockade the Chechen capital to put pressure on Dudayev to retract his 1991 independence declaration. (AP, Reuters, MT)