Yanukovich pledges to maintain Ukraine unity
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych pledged today to protect the nation’s unity, regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s presidential election.
“I do not intend to put up with attempts to divide Ukraine, to split Ukraine territorially, linguistically or religiously,” Yanukovych said at a meeting with foreign diplomats in Kiev.
The Kremlin favourite said he would protect the country’s unity ”irrespective of the position I occupy”.
Ukraine’s election will be decided in an unprecedented third round on St Stephen's Day – a re-run of last month’s fraud-marred run-off annulled by the Supreme Court.
The campaign has split the country, with the west and Ukraine’s cosmopolitan capital backing reformist, Western-leaning opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, while Yanukovych has received strong support from the industrial east, which favours closer ties with Russia.
Several eastern regions supporting Yanukovych threatened recently to hold referendums on greater autonomy from central government, but most of the plans have since been put on hold.
A pro-Yushchenko convoy of about 50 vehicles heading to Donetsk, the heart of Yanukovych’s support base, stopped on the city’s outskirts, where about 300 cars adorned with blue and white banners and flags – Yanukovych’s campaign colours - were waiting.
Police vehicles were accompanying the pro-Yushchenko convoy, which was decorated with the opposition leader’s orange banners.
It was not immediately clear why the convoy stopped, but the atmosphere was tense.
In the city, up to 3,000 young Yanukovych supporters rallied outside the Palace of Youth, chanting “We are for Yanukovych.” They burned an effigy of Yushchenko and his fiery ally, Yuliya Tymoshenko.
Yanukovych and Yushchenko went head-to-head last night in a televised debate during which both acknowledged the urgent need for unity.
The two candidates traded heated accusations, with Yushchenko charging that his rival stole millions of votes in last month’s election.
Yanukovych warned that Yushchenko would never win over Ukraine’s Russian-speaking east, and called on his opponent to work with him to heal the wounds exposed by the bitter presidential race.
Yanukovych said today: ”The ability to accept one’s loss is one of the key characteristics of a democratic politician, whereas calls to revolution - whatever their colouring – are a sign of weakness.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who openly supported Yanukovych ahead of the first two rounds, said the Kremlin could work with a Yushchenko administration.
“We have worked with him already and the cooperation was not bad ... If he wins, I don’t see any problems,” he said.
