Ukrainian election crisis deepens

KIEV, Ukraine – Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma called for negotiations in Ukraine’s spiraling political crisis Tuesday, hours after the leader of the opposition declared himself the winner of a disputed presidential election to the approval of tens of thousands of protesters.

It was not immediately clear when talks might take place.

The proposal for negotiations between the candidates – Kuchma-supported Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and the Western-leaning reformer Viktor Yushchenko – was out of character for the president, who is not known for compromising. But neither side held a clear advantage, and both had much to lose if violence should break out.

Earlier in the day, Yushchenko threatened a campaign of civil disobedience to back the opposition’s charge that authorities rigged Sunday’s vote in favor of Yanukovych.

“Ukraine is on the threshold of a civil conflict,” Yushchenko told lawmakers gathered for an emergency session. “We have two choices: Either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will give an answer.”

As snow fell Tuesday night, more than 10,000 Yushchenko supporters marched to the presidential administration building, facing off with hundreds of police in riot gear guarding the building.

After a few hours, many demonstrators headed home, while some went back to a tent city set up on Kiev’s main avenue and Independence Square, where they pledged to stay until Yushchenko is declared president.

Yanukovych supporters early today were building their own encampment at a stadium several blocks from the opposition site.

The election commission’s announcement that Yanukovych led Yushchenko galvanized anger among many of Ukraine’s 48 million people. Official results, with more than 99.48 percent of precincts counted, put Yanukovych ahead with 49.39 percent of the votes to his challenger’s 46.71 percent. But several exit polls indicated Yushchenko was the winner.

Western observers criticized the election as widely flawed by multiple voting and apparently inflated turnout figures in Yanukovych’s stronghold eastern districts.

The United States urged the Ukrainian government on Tuesday not to certify Yanukovych as winner.

The election also caused harsh words between the United States and the Kremlin after President Vladimir Putin telephoned congratulations to Yanukovych. The State Department confirmed it had summoned the Russian ambassador and discussed Ukraine, and the Kremlin described the meeting as “unprecedented interference” in another country’s affairs.

In an unusual show of independence, four Ukrainian diplomats in Washington sided with the American position and accused their government of subverting the will of the people by favoring Yanukovych in the nation’s presidential election.

Associated Press

Riot police guard the Ukrainian presidential administration building Tuesday in Kiev. Carnations were inserted in police shields by supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.

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