Moscow Rejects New Run-Off Vote in Ukraine

03/12/2004| IslamWeb

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has joined his Ukrainian counterpart in rejecting calls for a re-run of second round of voting in the country's contested presidential ballot. He met Leonid Kuchma at an airport outside Moscow for talks on the election crisis that is tearing the former Soviet republic apart. Putin argued that there is a risk of a repeat ballot being demanded over and over until one of the rival parties gets the desired result. The talks follow yesterday's gathering in Kiev, attended by Leonid Kuchma, international mediators and the two warring candidates. Russian-backed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, the official winner of last month's disputed ballot, had just lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament. But he says he won't step down. Supporters of pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko are staying put in the capital until a new election date is set. They claim their man was robbed of the presidency by systematic fraud and want the run-off vote repeated. President Kuchma's suggestion that the whole electoral process be started from scratch, with both rounds being held again, was not to their liking. As the waiting game goes on, Ukraine's Supreme Court is probing claims of voting irregularities from both sides. Its decision is crucial to the outcome of this stand-off. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma (L) talks to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Moscow, December 2, 2004. (Reuters)