(Moscow, June 9, 1997) - The public debates on "Military Reform: an Anti-militarist Aspect" have taken place today in Andrey Sakharov Museum & Public Center in Moscow. The meeting under aegis of the Anti-war Action Committee, was sponsored by the Anti-militarist Radical Association (ARA) and Democratic Perspective Association.

Among the speakers during the debates were: Irina Boganceva and Aleksandr Sokolov (Democratic Perspective Association), Nikolaj Khramov (secretary of ARA), Valentin Gefter (Memorial Society), Ljudmila Vakhnina (coordinator of the Anti-war Action Committee) and others.

The issues of coordination efforts for anti-militarist campaigns and initiatives have been discussed, in particular: the common actions against new draft law on conscription and military service debating currently in the State Duma; necessity to open wide debate in order to get support from side of democratic parties and public organization for the idea to launch campaign for national referendum on the most important issues of military reform; possible position of anti-militarist forces regarding the question of electoral reform and new elections to the State Duma without 5% barrier or even on fully majoritarian base.

There was no document approved after the public debates, but it was unanimously decided to continue the common work on each of the mentioned directions.