[debg]

VIENNA, Austria -- The disfiguring illness afflicting Ukraine opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was caused by dioxin poisoning, a doctor at an Austrian hospital has said.

Blood and skin tests conducted over the past 24 hours in Austria and other European clinics provided the evidence, Rudolphinerhaus clinic director Dr. Michael Zimpfer told a news conference Saturday.

"There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko's disease has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin," Zimpfer said. (excerpt)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/12/11/yushchenko.austria/index.html

[Mike Fieschko]

FO: you're right that that BBC article doesn't have Dr Zimpfer's claim, but this BBC article does have the claim:

Ukraine candidate 'was poisoned'