Putin, Kuchma oppose quick re-run of Ukraine poll

Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma gained Vladimir Putin's backing yesterday against calls for a quick re-run of the last round of the disputed presidential election the opposition is certain it would win.

The move by the Russian president underlines Kremlin fears that if Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko took power he would weaken links with Moscow and push Ukraine deeper into the West's embrace.

Alleging the election was rigged, the opposition wants an early repeat of the November 21 run-off vote between Mr Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovich, who was backed by both Mr Kuchma and Mr Putin.

Mr Kuchma, who flew to Moscow yesterday, wants a completely new election, a longer process which could favour his candidate. He said however he was prepared to speed up the process.

"A repeat of the run-off vote may fail to work," Mr Putin told Mr Kuchma at an airport meeting outside Moscow.

In a sign of the strain the crisis is placing on relations as Russia and the West vie for influence in Ukraine, US President George W. Bush took a swipe at Moscow's involvement, saying outsiders should not meddle in a new election.

"I think any election, if there is one, ought to be free from any foreign influence. These elections ought to be open and fair," Mr Bush told a reporter who had asked his views on a potential election and the prospect of Russian influence.

Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski joined the fray on the side of the opposition.

"We need to repeat the second round between the same candidates and give Ukrainians a chance to make a free choice. Once we secure fairness of the procedure we will be sure that democracy has won," he told TVN24 television.

Ukraine's Supreme Court was holding its fourth day of deliberations on Mr Yushchenko's accusations the election was rigged, with a ruling expected today.

Mr Yushchenko, addressing tens of thousands of supporters standing outdoors in sub-zero weather late in the evening, reiterated his opposition to holding a new poll from scratch.

"Let me say this to Kuchma, to anyone, to any politician calling for a fresh election - this amounts to calling for the economic collapse of Ukraine," he said in a 40-minute speech in Kiev's Independence Square.

"A repeat vote is a compromise which can calm the nation... If in the days following a Supreme Court decision, no date is set for a repeat vote, we will adopt appropriate measures."

He urged demonstrators to stay put in the square.