Intense Protests Force Kuchma To Back New Vote
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

KIEV, Ukraine – Facing a relentless tide of opposition protests, embattled President Kuchma said yesterday that a new election might be the only way out of a spiraling crisis that threatens to break up this former Soviet republic between the pro-Russian east and the Western-leaning remainder of the country.
Secretary of State Powell urged Mr. Kuchma in a telephone conversation yesterday to keep his country intact, and White House spokesman Scott McClellan called on the international community to unite in support of “Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”
Mr. Kuchma – who along with the Kremlin has staunchly supported the official winner of the disputed November 21 runoff, his Prime Minister Yanukovich – has called for compromise throughout the standoff but had not previously endorsed another vote.
“If we really want to preserve peace and harmony, if we really want to build a democratic state…let’s hold new elections,” said Mr. Kuchma, who did not seek another term. He said Ukraine needs a “legitimate president” and added that the crisis could be resolved through a “constitutional agreement” endorsed by Parliament, suggesting existing law might not be flexible enough to accommodate a settlement.
While it fell short of meeting protesters’ hopes that opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko would be named president, Mr. Kuchma’s statement appeared to be at least a tacit admission that the election was tainted. Mr. Yanukovich, who was declared the winner of the runoff by a margin of 871,402 votes, said he would support another vote if allegations of fraud in the election are proven – but that he had yet to see such proof.
The opposition has pushed for a new vote to settle the runoff, but Mr. Kuchma’s remarks suggested the government may want to start the election process from scratch.
Mr. Kuchma’s statement could also indicate a desire to win a respite from the relentless opposition blockade of official buildings.
Mr. Kuchma spoke as Mr. Yushchenko’s supporters contested the vote in the Supreme Court, demanding that it cancel the official results because of evidence of fraud.
Addressing tens of thousands of supporters who flooded central Kiev for the eighth straight day, Mr. Yushchenko urged them to maintain their vigil despite freezing temperatures.
“The next couple of days will bring a solution,” Mr. Yushchenko said, as the crowd shouted in support.
He said the opposition expects the court’s verdict soon, and added that it would also move today to topple Mr. Yanukovich’s Cabinet through a no confidence motion in Parliament.
But in a sign of division in Mr. Yanukovich’s camp, Serhiy Tyhypko resigned as his campaign chief and also stepped down as Central Bank chairman. Mr. Kuchma warned that the country’s financial system could “fall apart like a house of cards” in “a few days.”
Ukraine’s election crisis has pitted Russia against America and other Western nations, which have refused to accept official results. Russia and the West have accused each other of meddling in order to gain influence in the region, and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, told Mr. Powell yesterday that the dispute must be resolved in accordance with Ukrainian law.