PRESS RELEASE

Moscow, July 18, 1995

The enhanced reunion of the Provisional Coordination Council (PCC) of the Anti-militarist Radical Association (A.R.A.) has taken place today in Moscow. The reunion was chaired by secretary of A.R.A. Nikolaj Khramov. Apart of three among five members of PCC (Valerij Borscev, Ljudmila Zinchenko, Valentina Melnikova), in the reunion have taken part ten others active members and adherents of A.R.A., including Igor Serebrjanyj, member of Moscow Regional Duma, and archbishop Nikon, head of Truly Orthodox Church, as well as Sergej Sagalovich, coordinator of the Movement For Military Reform.

Following issues were included in the agenda of the reunion:

- initiatives to be undertaken in the State Duma on the tabling the amendments to the Malkin - Savickij draft bill on alternative civilian service (ACS);

- course of the campaign on collecting signatures under appeal to both chambers of Russian parliament and president "For Conscientious Objection Right, Against Militarism";

- "Declaration of 19" about collective conscientious objection and actions to be undertaken by A.R.A. to support conscientious objectors;

- participation of A.R.A. in founding the Movement For Military Reform.

During discussion on the first item of the agenda, the text of the amendments to the draft law "On Alternative Civilian Service" was asserted. The amendments will be formally tabled in the State Duma by MP Valerij Borscev ("Jabloko" group) together with some others MPs from democratic factions. This amendments concerning 15 articles of the draft law are to secure the fully civilian and nondiscriminatory in comparison with military service character of the future ACS, to minimize possibilities to refuse a draftee in granting the ACS, to provide the possibility of completing the ACS abroad Russia in the framework of international humanitarian operations under the U.N. aegis. The draft law "On Alternative Civilian Service" will be debated in the State Duma in second reading in October - November, this year.

During the discussion the course of the petition campaign "For Conscientious Objection Right, Against Militarism", it was noted that today only in Moscow and Cheljabinsk region it is possible to speak about a perceptible (some thousands) amount of collected signatures. It was confirmed the necessity to concentrate the main efforts during next two months on creation of many promotory groups op the petition campaign in the regions of Russia (currently such groups are in 27 cities).

In the process of debating possible actions of A.R.A. in support of campaign on collective conscientious objection until a democratic and nondiscriminatory law on ACS will be passed - a campaign initiated by authors of the "Declaration of 19", which was presented on the press conference of A.R.A. in Moscow on June 11 - it was decided to create by the Moscow office of Radical Party and A.R.A. the consultative point for conscientious objectors in addition to the work already conducting by organizations of soldiers' mothers in many Russian cities.

The PCC confirmed mandate of the secretary to represent A.R.A. in the organizing committee of the Movement For Military Reform - a wide cross-party public movement which is currently being created with participation of "Russia's Democratic Choice", Russian Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, Civic Peace Association, Militaries For Democracy, Russian Farmers Party and other organizations, movements and unions.

The Provisional Coordination Council has five members elected on the Founding Assembly of the Association on May 13, this year. It is a statutory body of A.R.A. till the First Congress of the Association when it should be replaced by the General Council consisting of 32 members elected by the Congress. Apart of the above enumerated members of the PCC who have taken part in this reunion, its members are also Julij Rybakov, member of State Duma ("Russia's Choice") and Antonio Stango (Italy), treasurer of the "There Is No Peace Without Justice" International Committee.

For more information:

A.R.A., tel/fax (095) 9239127