THE SECOND CONGRESS OF ARA: MOSCOW, JANUARY 16 AND 17, 1999

Moscow, December 9, 1998

Dear friends!

By this letter we inform you that the Second Congress of the Antimilitarist Radical Association is held in Moscow on Saturday and Sunday, January 16 and 17, 1999 in the Andrey Sakharov Museum & Public Center "Peace, Progress, Human Rights" (Zemljanoj Val 57, bld 6; metro station "Kurskaja" or "Chkalovskaja", then 5 min. by walk).

Beginning of works on Saturday, January 16, at 11:00. Registration of participants from 10:00 (please reach beforehand!).

The registration fee for participation in Congress will not be raised this time. Unfortunately, we can not compensate to the nonresident participants of congress their travel and accommodation expenses. We can only book hotel (on this question call 095-2081805 or 2084902).

During the Congress we should analyze results of our more than two-years activity, struggle, victories and defeats: first of all concerning priorities determined by the First Congress of ARA - struggle for the law on alternative civilian service. We should discuss and plan directions of our activity on the future, take decisions determining our priorities for the next year. In particular, having analyzed results of four-years struggle in the State Duma and behind its walls finished by final refusal of our parliament to accept the law on alternative civilian service, we should discuss a hypothesis of transferring the Center of our struggle onto organization of an all-Russian front for abrogation of conscription, mobilization of all democratic, liberal, antimilitarist forces of our country for abolishing of conscription slavery almost one and a half centuries after abolishing of serfdom slavery. We should develop concrete strategy by our antimilitarist struggle, which ARA will carry out together with Radical P

arty. The secretary of Radical Party and member of the European Parliament Olivier Dupuis will take part in our Congress too.

We should also elect new statutory bodies of ARA: General Council, Secretary, Treasurer, President.

Simultaneously we inform you on the beginning of enrollment campaign in ARA for the 1999. As always, the amount of annual membership/adhesion fee in ARA is not limited, the minimal necessary amount for 1999 is established: 10 US dollars in roubles at the rate of the Russian Federation Central Bank at date of payment (as of today - 204 rubles, that is about 56 kopecks per day). As before, it is possible to pay this sum at once or in parts. It is possible to make by one of three ways:

* personally in the Moscow office of Radical Party and ARA on Pechatnikov Per. (metro station "Chistye Prudy", "Turgenevskaja", "Cvetnoj Buljvar" or "Suharevskaja") from 11:00 till 21:00 in week-days, from 11:00 till 18:00 on Saturday;

* to send the post/telegraphic transfer to the address <103045 Moscow, Pechatnikov Per. 6, ARA>, having specified on the form applicability of payment (enrollment in ARA for 1999);

* bank transfer: acc. 40703810800000000502 in OAO "Bank Rossijskij Kredit", addressee ANAO "ARA International".

We remind you that it is possible to join ARA as a member (in this case it is necessary to be also a member of Radical Party) or as an adherent.

We draw your attention that only those enrolled in ARA for 1999 as members or adherents can take part in the Congress with the right of vote.

The successful realization of our Congress depends also on your enrollment in ARA for 1999: also because we can cover the charges on its organization only by your enrollment fees. Please, as soon as possible confirm your decision to join ARA, having called in our Moscow office or having sent a message on pager: (095) 230-4141, user 24712.

Any additional information concerning congress you can get calling (095) 208-1805 or 208-4902.

We rely very much on your positive response, on renewal of your membership in ARA for the next year, as well as on your active participation in the Congress and in realization of decisions which we will take together on the Congress.

Let us see each other in Sakharov Museum!

Nikolaj KHRAMOV, Secretary

Anna ZAJCEVA, Treasurer ad interim