MOSCOW (Reuters) - The presidents of Russia and France differed openly on the fate of Yugoslavia's former leader Slobodan Milosevic and the future of Chechnya during talks at the Kremlin on Monday. (Read photo caption below). The sensitive issue of press freedom in post-Soviet Russia also arose, with Jacques Chirac stressing to university students that it was a fundamental part of a democratic society. But Chirac and his host Vladimir Putin both said they would try during their two-day meeting to improve ties damaged by disputes over Russia's military campaign in Chechnya and legal rows. Chirac said they had achieved ``considerable convergence'' on many issues and Putin said their views ``almost coincided.'' The two leaders issued a statement appealing against any moves to undermine existing international security arrangements, but making no mention of U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield. But they were clearly uneasy with each other on key matters. Putin challenged Chirac's praise of Milosevic's handover to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague despite the opposition of Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. And he stoutly defended Russia's military drive in Chechnya. Addressing a joint news conference in a sumptuous Kremlin hall, Chirac praised Milosevic's transfer as ``the victory of right over violence, of democracy over tyranny, a moment of hope for justice and liberty throughout the world.'' Putin's reply was blunt. ``We want the triumph of democracy, stability and predictability in this region. Does Milosevic's transfer to The Hague bring us any closer to these aims? I doubt it,'' he said. ``Evil must be punished. That is an absolute truth. The question is how to go about it. Like a bull in a china shop or calmly, carefully, achieving the aims set by civilized society.'' PUTIN DEFENDS CHECHNYA CAMPAIGN On Chechnya, Putin seized the microphone when a reporter asked Chirac whether France had abandoned attempts to influence Russia's behavior in its 20-month-old campaign in Chechnya -- where troops face daily ambushes and attacks from snipers. ``We are dealing with isolated attacks by separatists. The latest attacks are carried out by fighters who come from abroad, mostly mercenaries with large quantities of heroin,'' he said. In reply, Chirac said he had not heard the question initially. He then said Putin had set out his position in talks. ``This came up naturally in conversation,'' he said. ``I simply restated France's longstanding position that it was vital to do as much as possible to seek a political solution to the crisis.'' PHOTO CAPTION:Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with his French counterpart Jacques Chirac during their meeting in Moscow, July 2, 2001. Putin and Chirac briefly discussed the possibility of launching Russian Soyuz spaceships from France's Kourou space complex, Interfax news agency said. (Itar-Tass/Reuters)