[Shadow_Group] Fw: 'Break-Up Or Bloodshed'

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rense.com

Ukraine Heading For 
'Break-Up Or Bloodshed'
By Harry de Quetteville in Kiev
The Telegraph - UK
12-1-4
 
Negotiations to end Ukraine's political crisis collapsed last night as
the Kremlin predicted that the divided country was heading for "break-up
or bloodshed". 
  
Allies of Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition leader, walked out of
discussions to end the stand-off with Viktor Yanukovich, the prime
minister, and called for his hundreds of thousands of supporters to renew
blockades of government buildings, which were briefly lifted earlier in
the day. 
  
Mr Yushchenko's supporters have flooded the streets of the capital, Kiev,
since he was narrowly beaten in Ukraine's presidential election by the
Russian-backed prime minister last week. 
  
The poll was overshadowed by widespread reports of intimidation and vote
rigging, sparking the protests. 
  
The collapse in negotiations followed a hectic day in which protesters
marched from the Supreme Court, which is considering appeals against the
election result, to the parliament building, where a no-confidence motion
in the government of Mr Yanukovich was being debated. 
  
Before the vote, Mykola Tomenko, an opposition spokesman, addressed
crowds in Independence Square, just beyond the tent city housing
protesters in the sleet and snow, and warned of dire consequences if the
motion was not carried. 
  
"We understand full well that the potential for political means is being
exhausted," he said. "When this potential comes to an end we will act
within the framework of a civil resistance." 
  
After the no-confidence vote was rejected, the atmosphere soured and a
small number of protesters forced their way into the parliament building,
where Mr Yushchenko joined a group of deputies in getting them to leave
peacefully. 
  
Volodymyr Lytvyn, the parliamentary speaker, said: "I appeal to
protesters. Don't storm parliament. It is the last pillar of democracy." 
  
The unrest prompted a second trip to Kiev in a week for Javier Solana,
the European Union foreign policy chief, who was due to take part in
talks with both sides today. 
  
Also present will be Boris Gryzlov, the Russian parliamentary speaker,
who provided a grim warning that Ukraine was not headed for a peaceful
resolution but for "break-up or bloodshed". 
  
Mr Gryzlov accused Mr Yushchenko of stoking up the uprising. 
  
Mr Solana is then due to fly to Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin
has repeatedly accused western states of meddling. 
  
Ukraine is broadly divided between pro-western supporters of Mr
Yushchenko in the west and more Russia-oriented backers of Mr Yanukovich
in the east and there have been fears of the country splitting in two. 
  
That faded yesterday as two pro-Yanukoviych regions postponed moves to
introduce self-rule. But there was still panic in eastern Ukraine as
people fearing economic collapse queued to withdraw savings. 
  
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004. 
  
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/> 
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