The reunion of A.R.A. took place today in Moscow office with participation of Valerij Borscev, Antonio Stango, Ljudmila Obrazcova, Anzhelika Chechina, Sergej Sorokin, Irina Narcissova and Julia Bulah. I would like to give a short summary of what was discussed and decided, as for the anti-militarist activity during the next month.

We were agree that we should concentrate ourselves on two main directions of activity: 1) conscientious objection bill; 2) counter-action to the amendments to the law on military service, which increase service term up to 24 months from 18. Of course, apart of membership campaign for A.R.A. and Radical Party.

1. For what concerns C.O. bill, it was stated that it is already impossible to handle with draft of law prepared by Vladimir Smirnov (expert of "Russia's Choice" and adviser of Gajdar). Therefore the only way is to re-formulate amendments to the Malkin's draft law which was already passed in first reading in December 1994 and didn't passed in second reading on May 24, this year. This amendments should be re-written by me and Anzhelika Chechina basing on the joint memorandum of Radical Party and Committee of Soldiers' Mothers (August 1994) during next week. Within June 24 they should be formally presented in Duma by Valerij Borscev and possibly also some other MPs.

2. By parallel way we must intensify our petition campaign "For conscientious objection right, against militarism", trying to get more signatures in other Russian cities, not in Moscow. In each city, where exist the strong committee of soldiers' mothers and/or group of Radicals, we must try to create a "promontory committee" of petition campaign with it's own contact address and telephone. Such a committee exists till now only in Cheljabinsk.

Then just now we must begin to present already collected signatures according the principle "deputy by deputy": every MP, starting from those elected in majoritarian districts should get a letter asking to express his/her position regarding to the petition "For conscientious objection right, against militarism" and inform about this position the promotion committee in respective region where he/she was elected (and where they would run for the coming elections). The full list of subscribers of petition from the respective region should be enclosed. According to Valerij Borscev, who is author of the proposal, such a tactics has good chances to obtain good voting in Duma even from side of some Communists.

3. For what concerns the amendments about increasing the military service term, the procedure of appealing to the Constitutional Court is already initiated by "Russia's Choice" MPs (since the amendments were passed with serious procedural violations). 90 MPs' signatures are needed to examine this question in the Constitutional Court and in this case 90% that it will decide passing the amendments illegal. It means that amendments must come again all the way of presenting, debating and approving. It means, that we have three-four months to organize another, the second petition campaign: FOR REDUCING MILITARY SERVICE TERM DOWN TO 12 MONTHS. This campaign is supposed to be conducted by parallel way with the first one and - being organized according the same criteria (see point 2) - has good chances at least to complicate essentially the voting in favour of increasing service terms up to 24 months.

4. For what concerns actions in different regions and cities (first of all local promotion committees), it was stated that a series of open assemblies of A.R.A. with consequent working reunions is needed - with participation of mine, as secretary. The first assembly is already scheduled on June 24 in Cheljabinsk. Next possible places: Saint Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Novgorod, Smolensk and others.

The next meeting with participation of Valerij Borscev will be gathered as soon as the amendments to the Malkin's draft law on C.O. will be ready (approximately in one week).