Ukraine vote goes to court

Split down the middle, with two Viktors claiming the presidency, Ukraine looks Monday to its Supreme Court to resolve the political crisis that threatens to break the nation apart.

The sea of orange flags and the festive mood in Kiev may suggest that the opposition is close to a breakthrough. But away from the rock concerts and television cameras, discontent is brewing in Ukraine's pro-Moscow eastern provinces, where talk of seeking autonomy mounted.

Indeed, the integrity and unity of this young democracy is being tested as never before. Amid sudden global scrutiny and wild public mood swings - from optimism to angst and back again - Ukraine's contenders are struggling to advance their candidacies while preventing turmoil.

Sunday, outgoing president Leonid Kuchma called for compromise yet admitted that agreement talks were going badly. Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, who was pronounced the winner last week, said the country was "on the brink of catastrophe," but he urged his supporters to avoid bloodshed. And opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko told his orange supporters to stay out on the streets.

Earlier, it had seemed that fresh elections might offer a way forward. After parliament on Saturday declared the presidential poll invalid, opposition followers said they hoped there might be a new vote as early as Dec. 12. That was the date Mr. Yushchenko preferred and he called for any rerun to be conducted under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

But blue-clad followers of Mr. Yanukovich, who draws his support from the industrial east, were adamant that their man had been rightly declared the winner and demanded the court give him the go-ahead for his inauguration.

The court convenes Monday but it may not give an immediate ruling.

Speaking for the European Union, which has condemned procedural violations of the Nov. 21 vote, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said new elections would be "the ideal outcome."

The likelihood for a fresh poll increased when a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Russia, which had overtly backed Yanukovich, said Moscow also now favored a rerun.

Like the confident fans of a sports team playing at home, the orange protesters have taken over the streets of Kiev, pushing the few blue visitors from the east to a small area around the railway station.

But back in the mining regions, thousands of Yanukovich supporters rallied, insisting their chosen candidate should be confirmed.

At a conference of pro-Yanukovich governors and other local politicians in Severodonetsk, there were calls for autonomy for eastern Ukraine in the event of an orange takeover.

Kiev and western regions oppose this idea because they depend on the east's industrial output.

Although the atmosphere of the demonstrations in Kiev is still one of sporting goodwill, the risk of violence has not disappeared and the scope for confrontation is great in this giant of eastern Europe.

"If you ask me," says Ivan, a worker at the rail station, "we should have neither Yushchenko, who is too close to the Americans, nor Yanukovich, who will do what Russia says, but a neutral president."

"With either of the Viktors, a lot of people are going to be dissatisfied," he adds.

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