08 November 2004	Monday	24 Ramazan 1425

MOSCOW, Nov 7: An association of mothers of Russian soldiers elected a leader on Sunday to head the political party they have set up to oppose the war in the Caucasus republic of Chechnya.

Valentina Melnikova, a mother of two and university graduate with a long record of campaigning for the rights of Russian soldiers, was chosen to head the new party.

She is the president of the Union of Committees of Soldiers' Mothers, an organization which is active in the defence of young conscripts who are often exposed to physical and psychological abuse.

Called the United People's Party of Soldiers' Mothers, the new party has already been accused by Russian nationalists of being funded from abroad and has recently offered to launch peace talks with separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov.

The decision to create the party was taken by about 160 delegates from 50 of Russia's 88 regions with the aim of countering the Kremlin's tight grip on the country's political life.-AFP