Posted on 11/23/2004 5:07:24 PM PST by kupia_kummi
A peaceful handover of power has reportedly been agreed in the Ukraine after protesters clashed with anti-riot police outside the president's headquarters.
Tensions in the capital Kiev reached breaking point as tens of thousands of demonstrators surrounded the HQ.
They had been called on to march by opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
He and his supporters believed the presidential election, which took place at the weekend, was rigged.
According to the poll results, Kremlin-backed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych won the presidency.
But after calls from outgoing president Leonid Kuchma for talks between the two sides, Mr Yanukovych stepped aside.
Mr Yushchenko will now become president, it has been reported.
The turmoil in the Ukraine followed a day of claims and counter-claims about the disputed presidential election, which has been condemned internationally as not being "free or fair".
(Excerpt) Read more at sky.com ...
I think this is good news but I'm pretty confused myself.
Chalk one up for the good guys.
Wow. Good news, if true. I favor an alliance between the U.S. and Russia, but I do not favor Putin's efforts to rebuilt the Soviet empire. That can only lead to trouble.
"You say Yushchenko, I say Yanukovych... lets call the whole thing off."
Sung to the tune of "You say potato, I say potaato..."
That was relatively peaceful.
I suppose the fraud must have been obvious for the "winner" to step down.
confusing primarily because a lot of guys names start with Y.
This would be like Gore rigging the Florida vote so that he won and then being forced to step aside after fraud and outrage was revealed.
This isn't over yet. But I think this is good news! Very good news. The Kremlin backed guy is basically admitting that he rigged teh election if he conceeds.
Yeah, the names are confusing. "-chenko" is the pro-Western one. "-vich" (or "vych") is the pro-Russian one.
Wasn't that song written by Giorgi Gershwinovich?
This is strange. What did the ruling party say?
"OK, you caught us. Here ya go."
"Well, fine! Nobody ever said DON'T steal the election!"
"Kidding! We were just KIDDING! Jeeze, can't anybody around here take a joke?"
etc...
Sounds like mob rule to me. What if the other guy DID win?
I'm not sure I get it.
They turned over power based on polls and a mob.
Is that democracy?
Heh heh heh...
I'm using Yank and Yush.
"But after calls from outgoing president Leonid Kuchma for talks between the two sides, Mr Yanukovych stepped aside."
No, I don't believe it.
Get this. Russian supported Yanukovych (with help of Putin) rigged the election. (Facts supported by Western observers.) Overhwelming indication that people (not a mob) voted for pro-western Yushchenko. It is not "democracy", it is old Soviet style "voting" = cheating, trying to keep Ukraine in remaking of the Soviet empire that Putin is trying to resurect. They succeeded in Belarus, they need another big chunk - Ukraine.
Old communists do not want to give up, they change their name to "democrats" but doing it old ways.
Western mass media can say whatever they want about X. The trick is simple. They don't give the opportunity to X to deny it.
Thanks for the good info and the ping.
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