KIEV: HANDOVER OF POWER

Sky News ^ | November 23, 2004

[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".

[TapTheSource]

Might want to check out the following post in light of events in the Ukraine:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1287167/posts?page=122#122

[Ciexyz]

Didn't something similar happen in Georgia about a year ago?

[Keith]

Wretchard is doing a nice job of covering this as well...

http://belmontclub.blogspot.com/

[SevenofNine]

I am confused myself seem Russia try take over Ukraine by fraud election I THINK

[PianoMan]

George Gershwin WAS a Russian-born Jew and his real name was indeed Gyorgy Gershowitz! So you all are not that far off!

[JasonC]

Understand, the ruling party is involved in a transition of its own. The outgoing prez is not standing for re-election. It was his successor that was in the running, and who just stepped aside. He did so after the incumbent called for talks. Meaning, the guy presently in actual control of the government, was not backing to the hilt, the guy set to take over his party from him. The sitting (outgoing) prez played referee rather than partisan, in other words.

[KOZ.]

great analysis. i'll buy you one :)

[zarf]

Good call Piano Man!

I even read Edward Jablonski's bio of George and I forgot!!

[texasflower]

Thanks for posting that information about Yushchencko.

I had wondered about his face. It is off putting for sure.

[Truth666]

Your "facts" are lies, that can be debunked with a click. #1 -
Some precincts in the East voted more than 100%, with 97% of the vote going to Yanukovich. ...
http://www.cvk.gov.ua/wp301ept001f01=501
There was massive vote in some districts in the East, exactly like there was massive vote for Yushchenko in the rural West; nowhere were casted votes "more than 100%" of registered voters.

[contemplator]

Why is no one else reporting this handover? If this is true it should be getting massive coverage

[goldstategop]

There's truth in it. No Ukrainian President can afford to ignore the industrialized and Russian-speaking East. Like it or not, Ukraine will always have relations with Russia. Its an inescapable fact of geography as well as bonds between Slavs.

[bgarid]

Ukraine divided
left green area - Yushchenko country and the percentage of votes for Yushchenko
right red area - Yanukovich country and the percentage of votes for Yanukovich
Looks like elections of 1860 in one north american country...

[bgarid]

>I saw on one site that they are blaming the poisoning on dioxin. I've heard another version. Two, in fact. First, it was a plastical surgery accident. Second, Yushchenko has a leprosy.
Looking at this picture again, I am inclined to believe the latter

[Truth666]

It happened in an Austrian clinic