"Izvestiya" newspaper, February 1, 1996, p. 1

Translated into English by A.Prishchenko

Last time patriotic and democratic forces of Russia reinforced their protest against a shameful war unleashed by Kremlin in Chechnia that has already taken many dozens of thousands demolished and mutilated human lives from our peoples.

In first few days of the new year, a hundred of outstanding representatives of scientific and creative intellectuals of Moscow addressed an open letter to the President Yeltsin with an appeal to stop the war immediately. More than sixty figures of culture in St. Peterbourg have supported them.

Two weeks before, an article by Yuri Burtin, a publicist, was published in "Izvestiya" with a concrete plan of resolution of Chechen conflict.

After the capture of hostages in Kizliar, I've addressed Boris Yeltsin, Djokhar Dudayev and Dok Zavgayev with an appropriate proposal. I have asked leaders of all three parts of the conflict to express their attitude toward the proposal immediately, and in case of agreement, to put it into the base of negotiations to be restarted immediately, without any preliminary conditions, on the highest level; and in case of total or partial disagreement, to publish their motivated objections: that could ultimately serve on behalf of rapprochement too.

Being under grave impression of events in Pervomayskoye where, because of the President and his "power" ministers, the operation for hostages' release has become an operation for hostages' demolition, four authorized public figures -- Sergey Alexeyev, Yegor Gaydar, Sergey Kovaliov and Otto Lazis -- declared in public their dismissal from the Presidential council.

The same time "Yabloko" faction collected signatures under an appeal for putting in agenda of State Duma a question of vote of no-confidence in the government that has allowed to transfer hostilities to Dagestan and has allowed the massacre in Pervomayskoye. (Unfortunately, other factions, including communists, who have many times declared that they are against Chechen war, didn't support the initiative).

Finally, on January 29, Boris Nemtsov submitted the President of Russia one million of signatures from Nizhniy Novgorod city with a demand to stop the war in Chechnia. The fact, that in one Russian city virtually everybody has supported the demand, obviously proves, that except a gig of operators in both sides of the front line, the whole Russia is against the war.

It's a great pity that until now all these appeals and proposals get no answers; power keepers are deaf for the people's voice.

If I would become a president of Russia, I will cease this senseless war immediately. So, I'm sure, will do any politician who is responsible for his Motherland, for lives of its citizens. However, it is four months before June 16, and new rivers of blood can be shed. That's why again I address those who take decisions today.

The plan of peaceful resolution of Russian-Chechen conflict is extremely simple and clear.

1. In order to avoid new victims of both sides, federal troops should be withdriven from Chechnia immediately and completely. Only two steps of the sides towards each other should precede this:

- to avert an "Afgan" variant of the situation, Dj. Dudayev and D. Zavgayev should conclude something like a pact of nonaggression;

- both Chechen parts should take obligations on non-distribution of weapons from Chechnia to neighbouring Russian territories and on gradual demilitarization of the republic.

2. The question of status of Chechen Republic, after a careful discussion, should be resolved by it's population at a republican referendum. A temporary status for the period before the referendum should be elaborated on a mutually agreed base in the process of Russian-Chechen negotiations on concrete political, law and economic questions.

I address the President Yeltsin and the Prime Minister Chernomyrdin: cessation of the war in Chechnia depends exclusively on your good will. Then stop the war, stop sending our young citizens to kill and to die for no reason.

I address my colleagues, deputies of both Houses of the Federal Council: the responsibility for the continuation of the war in Chechnia lies on us too. State Duma and the Federal Council have good possibilities to establish peace by force of the law. To linger, to behave evasively, conformist-like is to doom more and more people to death and suffering.

I address Djokhar Dudayev, Aslan Moskhadov, all Chechen commanders and soldiers, the whole population of Chechen Republic: help us to restore peace and concord between our peoples. Don't release your emotions of hate and revenge, don't yield to provocations, don't make occasions to delay cessation of the war. As a first step, begin an immediate release of hostages.

I address democratic community with an appeal to organize as soon as possible a big conference in Moscow to discuss possibilities of peaceful resolution in Chechnia. Such a conference, with participation of political parties, trade unions, law, anti-military and other public organizations, scientific and cultural figures, deputies of Federal Council, representatives of different political forces of Chechen Republic should elaborate an agreed position on the question, that no power could ignore.

I address leaders of all subjects of the Federation and all citizens of Russia: support the initiative of Nizhniy Novgorod city. Besides the collection of signatures, decrees of regional legislative councils and city Dumas may become a form of your will expression. If we start a mass people's movement for withdrawal of troops and cessation of the war, there will be no force to oppose it.

Grigory Yavlinsky.