_________________________________________

Anti-militarist Radical Association (ARA)

For Immediate Release

Moscow, May 22, 1997

In relation with today announced dismissal of defence minister Igor Rodionov, secretary of ARA Nikolaj Khramov made on behalf of the Association the following declaration.

<

There is a hope, that since now the united team of Baturin and introduced into the Defence Council Chubajs and Nemcov would be able finally to promote military reform, not yet launched till now.

Many things depend now from who will replace Rodionov in minister's chair. In any case, it should be a responsible civilian politician able to help Russian armed forces to find their principally new role in the society, but not a bureaucrat dressed in uniform or civilian jacket who would care only about narrow-understood administrative benefit. For those familiar with Parkinson's laws, it would be difficult to imagine a minister striving not for increasing of his ministry's budget but to its reduction. Nevertheless, today Russia needs exactly such a minister - today when at first time during the whole Russian history there is no foreign threat to its security.

What us concerns - us Radicals, anti-militarists, liberals - we clearly realize the principles of this long-waited reform. There is a need of a cardinal reducing the number of military personnel and armaments down to the level corresponding to the economical possibilities of the country and real security needs in the world changed after the crushing of bipolar system. There is a need of a rough reducing of military expenditures which deprive health care, education and science. 50 trillions of rubles lacking for the Government in order to overcome budget crisis, are hidden not so far away: it is within the expenses for a megalomanic military machine and yearly drafting and maintenance hundreds of thousands of new conscripts. There is a need for immediate reducing of service terms for conscripts, for immediate adoption of a non-discriminatory law on alternative civilian service and for transition to the voluntary recruitment of armed forces in the nearest future.>>

________________________

For further information:

tel. +7 095 9239127