| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Kuchma to meet Ukraine opposition as Europe joins talks |
| 2004-11-26 |
| AFP Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma Friday agreed to meet with the opposition in the presence of heavyweight European mediators in a bid to resolve a five-day political crisis that has paralyzed the government. Tens of thousands of supporters of the pro-West opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko blockaded key government buildings in the capital Kiev demanding that their hero be recognized the winner of a weekend election that official ballot counts handed to the pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich. But there were growing signs that the seat of power was relenting -- even as Russia again vented its fury at what it said was unlawful Western pressure being applied against its most important eastern European ally. Ukraine's national television stations that had throughout the week provided mostly positive coverage of Prime Minister Yanukovich and avoided broadcasting news of the mass demonstrations gripping the country began to feature the opposition in its news. Meanwhile the supreme court was expected to hear opposition claims Monday that the state had fixed last weekend's vote in favor of their man. Analysts said that its justices have shown independence in the past and could possibly back Yushchenko's position. The police have so far failed to intervene against the unprecedented blockade of both the presidential administration and the cabinet buildings -- which prevented Yanukovich from getting into his offices on Friday. "This has paralyzed the government," the prime minister's press secretary fumed. |
| Posted by:Fred |