greater humanitarian disaster befalling the Russian republic of Chechnya. As The Royal Gazette's Patrick Burgess writes, an obscure paper on Bermuda's status as a British Overseas Territory appears to have been passed amongst Russia's various nationalities and ethnic groups as a possible model for governing themselves.

On the Internet since 1995, "Britain's Self Governing Territories and the Status of Bermuda: A Model for Chechnya?'' by Edward (Ned) Walker of the University of California, Berkeley lays out possible avenues of self-governance for the hundreds of sub-groups in the vast country.

When contacted this week Dr. Walker, a Harvard Graduate, and director of Berkeley's Programme in Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies, spoke of how he came to write the paper and its influence in Russia.

Dr. Walker explained he first visited Bermuda in the 1970s when his future in-laws had a summer home here.

As well his brother, Theodore, lived here in the 1990s as a Bacardi International executive and married Ana Cutillas who lived here as well.

It was shortly after he had visited Bermuda during the 1995 Independence Referendum that the first war of independence in Chechnya started.

Russia invaded to regain control of the territory from what it called `bandits'.

"I was on my way to Moscow for a conference on Russian federalism at the time of the referendum and thought, well, this is an interesting case,'' Dr. Walker said.

"It was a conference on `Asymmetrical Federalism' which the Russians were big on at the time,'' he continued. "They were working on their relationships with the 21 ethnic groups out of the 89 constituent units of the Russian Federation.

"Tartarstan was looking for a model which could grant them greater autonomy from Moscow,'' he added.

Tartars are a mainly Muslim ethnic group who make up the majority in the republic, which sits on the banks of the Volga River. Its people are considered the most northerly Muslim `nation' in the world.

"The first Chechen war had broken out and my position at the time was that the Chechen president, Dudayev, was handling the situation clumsily.

"The Tartars were being more savvy rather than intransigent with Moscow about full blown independence, and they were not being obsessive about the symbols of independence.'' Bermuda, Dr. Walker said, struck him as "interesting and unique'' although he understood that there is an pro-independence lobby here and drew no conclusions on the political situation.

Dr. Walker mentioned the Bermuda model to the Tartarstan Republic president's chief political advisor who passed the idea on. Tartarstan governs itself but is still part of Russia.

"The Tartar's loved it. Of course, it was one of many things they were looking at and he asked me to write it up!'' he explained.

Negotiating between Moscow and Dudayev, the Tartars circulated the paper around the other republics, but he added "I'm not sure if the Chechens paid any attention to it -- they were busy''.

"It was circulated after the agreement which led to the end of the first war,'' Dr. Walker explained. "Back then I had a number of Chechen approach me and even the representative of the unofficial government to the US, the secessionist government, a man named Usmanov, said how much he liked the paper and the like.'' Dr. Walker explained he has given various talks in the former Soviet Union on the Bermuda Model, but he added its usefulness "is past its time'' for Chechnya.

Dr. Walker said the Bermuda model is still being discussed around the former Soviet bloc, particularly in the Balkans. The Azerbijani and Georgians have also expressed an interest.

"You know, at one time it might have had an influence -- particularly before the war when people were trying to get the Chechens to be more flexible,'' he added.

"But now there is virtually no government that can make a difference,'' he concluded. "By the time I had written it, it was already too late,'' he explained.

"It's a little impractical to think that there is a Chechen government to get any kind of commitment to something like this.

"But all I was saying is there are a multiplicity of options that would be more beneficial to both sides than the all out war and destruction that we have seen. Yes, its a quagmire.'' Turning to Bermuda, Dr. Walker was careful to explain that while the will of people is paramount, the `Bermuda model' had served the Island throughout its history.

Independence from Britain could come for Bermuda "if that's what Bermudians want'' he explained.

Progressive Labour Party spokesman Corey Butterfield commented yesterday that the party's link to the paper had prompted numerous `hits' over the Internet from Eastern Europe.

Mr. Butterfield said: "We average about 15 hits a week from eastern Europe.

Just yesterday there were four from the Slovak Republic.

"I don't know if its directly related (to Dr. Walker's Bermuda model) but it is good for Bermuda,'' he continued. "I didn't read it in its entirety, but I was proud that someone was going to use Bermuda as a model.

"Whether or not it is a good model for Bermuda and best for us is another question, but I'm glad someone sees Bermuda as a possible role model for another jurisdiction,'' Mr. Butterfield continued.

He added: "It's interesting though, I often put in Bermuda or Bermuda politics or even e-commerce and I'm finding more positive and objective things about Bermuda from overseas.

ON THE WEB `Bermuda: A Model for Chechnya' is available at the University of California's Berkeley Caucasus programme website, at http://socrates.berkeley.edu. Follow the links to the the caucasus/publications webpage. Information is also available at the Google.com website's `snapshot' link. Keyword search `Bermuda' and `Chechnya' and select the cached copy at www.google.com.

Used of force: Russian soldiers load howitzers in this file photo as they fire at positions east of the Chechen capital of Grozny. Political accommodation, based on 'Bermuda and Britain's territorial model. is one of the diplomatic options being studies to end conflict in the Black Sea-area republic.

Politics and people: Checken refugees crowd a buss outside the Chernokozovo refugee camp., After years of war in Chechnya, diplomats have pondered thoughts of political compromise based on Bermuda's relationship with Britain.