(Moscow, May 13, 1995) - The constituent assembly of the Anti-Militarist Radical Association (A.R.A.) has taken place today in Moscow office of the Transnational Radical Party. It is a new association of Radicals, who set as their goal struggle against militarist and imperialist tendencies in Russian policy, support of a universal and radical military reform, which absence makes impossible both normal economic development of the country, and establishment state of law and democracy.

Among the participants of the assembly were: Valerij Borscev, member of State Duma (Jabloko group); Nikolaj Khramov, coordinator of the anti-militarist Radical Party's campaign in Russia; Mamuka Tsagareli, member of General Council of the RP; Valentina Melnikova, press secretary of the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia; Ljudmila Zinchenko, chairwoman of the Association of Soldiers Mothers of Cheljabinsk region; Olga Antonova, collaborator of Moscow office of the RP coordinating translations and editorial activity of the party in CIS; Ljudmila Obrazcova and Julija Gorjacheva, members of the Coordination Council of the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers; archbishop Nikon, head of the Truly Orthodox Church (the Catacombal Church); father Anatolij Shaklein, a Protestant priest from Krasnojarsk; Elena Lebedeva, secretary of the Youth Anti-Fascist Action; several Radicals, most actively taking part in Radical petition campaign for conscientious objection right - Sergej Vorontsov, Vladimir Fulga, Anna Morozova,

Eldar Alukaev, Andrej Krymov and others.

Practically, every participant of the assembly spoke about necessity of consolidation of the united anti-militarist front, which is in fact being created right now in the context of war in Chechnya and continuing games around conscientious objection bill. It was stressed the biggest role, which could play in this process Radical Party which has already both historical experience and necessary organizational structures, as well as vital need to give a chance for refoundation of Radical Party and relaunching its activity in Russia (which is impossible without a massive membership campaign) was underlined. The new founded Radical association is qualified among others exactly to avail this campaign, to mobilize the most wide spectrum of different Russian public and political forces around a particular initiative, but probably today in Russia the most important one.

It was unanimously adopted the statute of A.R.A., the statutory organs were elected, as well as membership and adhesion fees for 1995 were established (both as 1/5 part of Radical membership fee).

Afterwards some possible actions and initiatives which could be undertaken by A.R.A. and Radical Party during the next weeks were discussed, first of all in the framework of the petition campaign for conscientious objection right in course: joint press conference in the next Thursday, May 18 in Moscow together with others organizations active on anti-militarist front; a big anti-militarist rally in the downtown of Moscow together with "Russia's Democratic Choice" party (Egor Gajdar's party); if the financial situation will allow it - a public assembly of Radical Party on anti-militarism in Cheljabinsk, where members of Association of Soldiers' Mothers and Radical activists are most active in collecting signatures under the conscientious objection appeal and where it is realistic to hope on assistance from side of city mayor's office; organizing of one or two days of mobilization for conscientious objection right with tables for collecting signatures and enrollments to Radical Party and A.R.A. installed simul

taneously in different Russian cities on one of weekends end of May or early June.