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Participants:

Alexander Tkachenko, writer
Russian PEN Center

Felix Svetov, writer

Lev Alexandrovich Ponomarev
All-Russian Popular Movement for Human Rights

Ambassador Yuri Alekseivich Ryzhov
Russian Academy of Sciences

Yurii Vladimirovich Samodurov, director
Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Center

Sergei Nikolaevich Ushenkov, deputy of the State Duma

In mid-March, the All-Russian Committee for the Cessation of War and the Promotion of Peace in the Chechen Republic was founded in Moscow.

Today the members of this committee include:

Deputies of the State Duma: S.A. Kovalev, B. B. Nadezhdin, Y. A. Rybakov and S. N. Ushenkov.
R. S. Aushev, president of the Republic of Ingushetia and member of the Federal Council.
Members of the Russian PEN Center: Viktor Astafev, Andrei Bitov, Arkady Vaksberg, Viktor Erofeev, Felix Svetov and Alexander Tkachenko.
Ambassador Y. A. Ryzhov, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
D. Y. Furman, PhD.
I. G. Yakovenko, sociologist.
Representatives of human rights organizations: E. G. Bonner, chairman of the Andrei Sakharov Foundation, R. N. Badalov, chairman of the Chechen Committee for National Preservation, D. A. Brodsky of the Anti-War Action Committee, O. P. Orlov of the Memorial Human Rights Center, L. A. Ponomarev of the All-Russian Popular Movement for Human Rights, Y. V. Samodurov, director of the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Center, V. A. Paidoverov, deputy of the Mariy-El Republic Council and chairman of the Mariy-El Human Rights Center, Z. Bagalova, national artist of Russia and director of the LAM Center for Research and the Popularization of Chechen Culture (Grozny), and L. Ilyasov of the LAM Center (Grozny).

The mission of the Committee is to conduct a Russia-wide campaign to promote a peaceful settlement to the war in Chechnya based on the Emergency Congress’ declaration in defense of human rights.  Members of the Committee have prepared an appeal to the Presidents of Russia and Chechnya, urging them to begin immediate official peace negotiations (the text of this appeal will be made known at the press conference).  Other activities are also being planned.