Polish president calls for new presidential runoff in Ukraine as soon as possible

WARSAW, Nov 30 (AFP) - Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski on Tuesday called for a new presidential runoff in Ukraine "as soon as possible" if the Ukrainian Supreme Court determines that the recent disputed vote was rigged.
Speaking shortly before he was due to fly to Kiev for talks Wednesday on Ukraine's political crisis, the Polish leader told a press conference that the decision by the Ukrainian Supreme Court could break the deadlock over the disputed November 21 vote.
"If the Supreme Court determines that the second round (of the election) was rigged, there will have to be another vote as soon as possible," he said.
Kwasniweski said his initiative had the support of US President George W. Bush, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.
The Polish leader said he had discussed the crisis by telephone with outgoing President Leonid Kuchma and other Ukrainian leaders and planned to have similar talks with French President Jacques Chirac.
"Following all those discussions, I decided to go to Kiev. We will first discuss among ourselves, mediators, and then with Ukrainian politicians," he added.
In Kiev, a Ukrainian opposition spokeswoman said earlier Tuesday that Kwasniewski would join EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in the Ukrainian capital for talks aimed at mediating an end to the crisis.
"I can't say in what format the multi-party talks will take place," spokeswoman Irina Gerashchenko was quoted as saying by Interfax.
In a communique released in Brussels by his spokeswoman, Solana called on all Ukrainian sides "to press on with their negotiations."
"Javier Solana ... on his way to Kiev tonight underscored the need for both Ukrainian presidential candidates and their parties to remain engaged in the current negotiation process, in the spirit of cooperation of last Friday's round table meeting," spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.
The EU official as well as Kwasniewski and other international mediators also visited the Ukrainian capital last Friday in a bid to defuse the week-long crisis pitting pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich against Western-leaning opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
The Supreme Court is considering opposition claims that massive fraud helped Yanukovich win the election. Yushchenko insists that he was robbed of victory and has EU support for his demand for a re-run of the poll.
With Ukraine's political deadlock in its ninth day, its parliament voted down a motion of no-confidence in Yanukovich's government put forward by Yushchenko, who has demanded Yanukovich's dismissal.
The assembly promised to reconvene on Wednesday to debate a similar measure.

11/30/2004 18:43 GMT - AFP