Moscow Hosting 2nd Congress of Pro-Presidential Party - 29 March, 2003

On Saturday, Moscow is hosting the 2nd congress of the United Russia party.

The party's press service reported that the forum had gathered more than 600 delegates representing party organisations from all constituents of the Russian Fedration which have more than 400,000 people as members.

Among the delegates to the congress are chairman of the party's Supreme Council Boris Gryzlov, Interior Minister, co-chairmen of the Supreme Council Sergei Shoigu, Emergencies Minister and Yury Luzhkov, Moscow Mayor, members of the General Council Vyacheslav Volodin, Oleg Morozov, Vladimir Pekhtin, other deputies from the two parliamentary houses and governors of a number of regions.

The adoption of a manifesto of the United Russia party is a key point on the agenda. Oleg Morozov recently said that the party "places all-national goals above any ideology." "Our ideology is consolidation of society and Russia's national success," he added.

On the eve of the congress, President Vladimir Putin met United Russia leaders. According to the Russian leader, the party "could make a significant contribution to the development of the bases for the future political system and the Russian economy." The president expects that the party, which has "a high organisational potential and unique members", will "become a real nucleus of political life both in Moscow and in the regions."