MOSCOW, April 19 - RAPSI. Moscow's Khamovnichesky District Court set Thursday May 10 for hearing the lawsuit to recognize a letter by fugitive millionaire Boris Berezovsky as extremist.

The letter was published on the web site of radio station Echo of Moscow.

The judge stated that the litigating parties may complete their preparations independently and scheduled the hearing on the merits of the case for May 10.

In addition, the judge suggested that the parties should find potential experts as soon as possible, since they will be crucial for the case.

United Russia filed a complaint about the letter to the communications watchdog and the prosecutors office and requested to see the radio station's compliance check, alleging that the letter was extremist.

United Russia claimed the letter appealed for deranging the March 4 presidential elections and violently overthrowing the government. The ruling party holds that by publishing extremist material Echo of Moscow was in breach of mass media law.

The radio station's chief editor, Alexei Venediktov, has said that he does not interpret the letter as a call for a violent political change, but since some listeners were of a different opinion, he had the letter taken down and sought advice from the station's lawyers "for a more profound analysis."