GOOD MORNING = RIA NOVOSTI OPENS ITS NEWS CYCLE FOR MARCH 4 W110249








* RUSSIA * NORTH-CAUCASUS * BORDER * PILGRIMS *  THE PLANE WITH PILGRIMS FROM CHECHNYA ON BOARD HAS LEFT  TODAY TO JIDDA  VLADIKAVKAZ, March 4. /RIA Novosti correspondent Valery  Oliyanchuk/. The Il-86 (charter flight) with 284 pilgrims from the Chechen Republic left Vladikavkaz today at 6.25 a. m., Moscow time, to Jidda (Saudi Arabia). As RIA Novosti correspondent was told in the press service of the North Caucasian regional  directorate of the Russian Federal Frontier Service, this trip was organised on the money specially allocated by the federal  government. 


	As the press service pointed out, altogether 5,700 pilgrims passed the check-points on Russia's southern border on their way to Mecca to perform a hajj. -O- (kos/ter)  04/03/01    10:43