MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti, Larisa Sayenko) - Russian liberals held a conference Saturday to discuss the new unification program presented by the new Republican Party of Russia.
Independent deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov who called on all liberal-democratic parties to unite for the 2007 parliamentary elections worked out the program.
Leaders of liberal parties did not object to the new program which does not refer to the privatization problem unlike previous programs.
The new project came to replace the Committee-2008 which was set up last fall to unite liberals for the 2008 presidential elections and split after unproductive negotiations this spring.
Irina Khakamada, the leader of the Our Choice party, called for the opposition to be positive and admit previous mistakes.
"The basis of our unification does not matter. When we are fighting for freedom we are ready to unite even with left-wing parties," she said.
The Republican Party, the Union of Right Forces (SPS) and Our Choice may sign a unification protocol next week to mark the first real step toward liberal integration.
Yabloko is the only party which does not want to unite under the new brand (the Republican Party). Sergei Mitrokhin, a Yabloko leader, said that only his party will have 50,000 members which the Justice Ministry introduces next year to register the parties. Accordingly, liberal forces should unite around Yabloko.
"The Republican Party proposes a new project. Yabloko cannot agree to it. We propose a less risky project - to unite around Yabloko," Mitrokhin said. "Two parties planned to unite at first and now there are six. Democratic parties spring up like mushrooms."
