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| Europe |
| Ukraine heads for internal split |
| 2004-11-29 |
| UKRAINE'S pro-Russia regions threatened today to split off from the European-leaning west of the country after a disputed presidential vote that has left Moscow and Western capitals glowering at each other across a Cold War-like divide. The heated meeting in the eastern region of Lugansk, a support base for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, came a day before the supreme court is to hear an opposition appeal over results of the November 21 runoff election that said Yanukovich won by about one million votes. Mr Yushchenko claims the government helped rig the election in favour of his rival and is asking the court to either order a recount or a new vote. Yanukovich bastions in the south-east have warned that they would declare greater autonomy if their candidate fails to become president, fanning fears that the crisis could split the country. Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said today after returning from Kiev that there is a realistic threat of an internal split. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 This is option two (creating a pro-Russia separatist movement that wants to annex itself to Russia, followed by Russian troops invading to "maintain peace"), which is the tactic Russia takes when option one fails (establishing a pro-Russia dictatorship over the whole of the country). First it was Moldova and Georgia, now it's Ukraine. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2004-11-29 8:09:11 PM |