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11,000 to attend second day of United Russia congress

The ruling party will nominate 600 candidates, among them 185 non-party nominees of the Russian Popular Front

MOSCOW, September 23 (Itar-Tass) —— Eleven thousand people will attend the second day of the United Russia congress in Moscow’s Luzhniki sports center, head of the party’s Supreme Council, State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said in answer to an Itar-Tass question.

He said that number would include congress delegates, guests and reporters. “That is an unprecedented format for Russia,” said Gryzlov, who viewed the large number of the participants in the party congress as another sign of the support to United Russia.

The party will give a final approval to the election program and the list of candidates in the State Duma elections of December 4, he said.

The Supreme Council Bureau and the General Council Presidium of United Russia will coordinate the final candidate list before the Saturday meeting of the congress.

According to the preliminary information, the ruling party will nominate 600 candidates, among them 185 non-party nominees of the Russian Popular Front.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan