On the instructions of the Yabloko and SPS factions of the State Duma, the joint Political Council examined the issues of military reform and, above all, the issue of changing the principles of recruitment for the armed forces of the Russian Federation, other types of troops and military formations.

On the basis of a detailed discussion of the problem, the Yabloko and SPS have reached a joint opinion:

- the main direction in transformation of recruitment principles, and one of the most important areas of military reform, should be the transfer of the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations to a contract basis primarily;

- movement in this direction should be determined according to the terms and volumes of financing, proceeding from available and forecast financial resources; the state disposes of such resources that this will not "overburden" the federal budget, will not damage other budget items, and will make it possible to implement this within the next several years (up to 2005);

- the problem of training of the military reserves during the transfer to a professional basis for staffing the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations will be solved through a six-month term [of training] for those liable for recruitment (which implies a permanent 25% share of recruits of the rank and file and non-commissioned staff in the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations);

- the main source of professional recruitment for the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations should be military personnel that have undergone the six-months training term;

- military reserves can be also maintained by including a provision in the terms of contracts of those doing military service on a contractual basis that they agree to a certain term in the reserves at the end of their military service. The corresponding training of the military of other troops and military formations (the aggregate amount of which should not be less than the amount of the military in the Armed Forces) could be an additional solution.

Yabloko and the SPS agreed on the creation of a joint working group here for the detailed development of financial and organisational aspects of this problem and their coordination with the representatives of the interested departments of the executive authority.

Co-Chairs of the joint Political Council, Deputy Chairs of the State Duma
Vladimir Lukin (Yabloko)
Irina Khakamada (SPS)

Deputy Chairmen of the Defence Committee of the State Duma
Alexey Arbatov (Yabloko)
Eduard Vorobyev (SPS)

See also:

Yabloko and SPS