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Ex-president warns Ukraine 'on brink of civil war' Ex-president warns Ukraine 'on brink of civil war'
(about 1 hour later)
Ukraine's first post-independence president has warned the country is on the "brink of civil War" as parliament debates an amnesty for protesters. Ukraine's first post-independence president has warned the country is on the "brink of civil war" as parliament debates an amnesty for protesters.
Leonid Kravchuk, president from 1991 to 1994, opened the debate in parliament by urging everyone involved to "act with the greatest responsibility".Leonid Kravchuk, president from 1991 to 1994, opened the debate in parliament by urging everyone involved to "act with the greatest responsibility".
President Viktor Yanukovych wants any amnesty conditional on demonstrators leaving official buildings.President Viktor Yanukovych wants any amnesty conditional on demonstrators leaving official buildings.
The opposition has so far ruled this out and is demanding early elections.The opposition has so far ruled this out and is demanding early elections.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his cabinet resigned after months of protests.On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his cabinet resigned after months of protests.
Parliament also scrapped a controversial anti-protest law in the biggest concession yet to opposition protesters.Parliament also scrapped a controversial anti-protest law in the biggest concession yet to opposition protesters.
'Compromise''Compromise'
Leonid Kravchuk earned a standing ovation in parliament after telling members that "all the world acknowledges and Ukraine acknowledges that the state is on the brink of civil war". Leonid Kravchuk told lawmakers that "all the world acknowledges and Ukraine acknowledges that the state is on the brink of civil war".
"It is a revolution. It is a dramatic situation in which we must act with the greatest responsibility," he said. "It is a revolution. It is a dramatic situation in which we must act with the greatest responsibility," he said in an emotional address that earned him a standing ovation.
Demonstrations began in November when Mr Yanukovych pulled out of a planned trade deal with the EU in favour of a $15bn (£9bn) bailout from Russia to bolster ailing public finances in the former Soviet state. "We need to ease the confrontation between the sides and agree a plan to solve the conflict. We need to work on this plan step by step to ease the confrontation".
The White House on Tuesday said the issue of a possible amnesty for scores of detained protesters had been raised in a telephone conversation between Vice-President Joe Biden and President Yanukovych. To underline the importance of the session, former presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko were also present.
The White House said Mr Biden welcomed "progress made" and called on Mr Yanukovych to sign the repeal of several anti-protest laws. Parliament is considering an amnesty for the scores of protesters who have been detained since demonstrations began in November.
"He strongly encouraged President Yanukovych to continue to work with the opposition to find compromises critical to a peaceful solution," a statement said. The presidency accepts an amnesty only on condition that the demonstrators leave the government buildings they are occupying, take down their barricades and leave the streets - something the opposition rejects.
"These include an amnesty law and a new government that can bring political unity, win the confidence of the Ukrainian people, and take Ukraine in the direction of Europe by strengthening democratic institutions and making the reforms necessary to achieve economic prosperity." Lawmakers, in an emergency debate on Tuesday, voted to repeal anti-protest legislation, which among other measures banned the wearing of helmets by protesters and the blockading of public buildings.
On Tuesday, Mr Azarov said he was stepping down to create "social and political compromise". His deputy, Serhiy Arbuzov, has stepped in as interim leader. The anti-protest law, passed less than two weeks earlier, fuelled major protests around the country and deadly clashes with the police.
Members of his cabinet also resigned, but they can remain in their posts for 60 days until a new government is formed. Prime Minister Azarov said on Tuesday he was stepping down to create "social and political compromise". He has been replaced on an interim basis by his deputy, Serhiy Arbuzov.
Parliament, in an emergency debate on Tuesday, voted to repeal anti-protest legislation, which among other measures banned the wearing of helmets by protesters and the blockading of public buildings.
Correspondents say Mr Azarov was deeply unpopular with the opposition, who accused him of mismanaging the economy and failing to tackle corruption.Correspondents say Mr Azarov was deeply unpopular with the opposition, who accused him of mismanaging the economy and failing to tackle corruption.
Feelings against him grew after the protests started in November, when he described demonstrators as extremists. He was also blamed for excessive use of force by the police. Members of Mr Azarov's cabinet also resigned, but they can remain in their posts for 60 days until a new government is formed.
Police stabbed Foreign 'interference'
Meanwhile, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has criticised what he called foreign "interference" in Ukraine. Both US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have separately underlined their support for the demonstrators.
Speaking at the end of an EU-Russia summit in Brussels on Tuesday, Mr Putin said visits by overseas envoys were adding to the unrest. Mr Obama, in his State of the Union address, said: "In Ukraine, we stand for the principle that all people have the right to express themselves freely and peacefully, and have a say in their country's future".
"I think that the Ukrainian people are capable of solving this on their own," Mr Putin said. The White House on Tuesday said Vice-President Joe Biden had spoken by telephone to President Yanukovych and praised the "progress made".
"I can only imagine how our European partners would respond if in the heat of a crisis in a country like Greece or Cyprus, our foreign minister would appear at one of their anti-European rallies and begin addressing them." Meanwhile, both the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele have arrived in Kiev for talks with the leadership.
Correspondents say his comments appear to be a thinly veiled criticism of the EU and other Western nations that have sent a string of diplomats to Ukraine in recent weeks. Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday criticised what he called foreign "interference" in Ukraine, saying: "I think that the Ukrainian people are capable of solving this on their own."
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, has flown out to Kiev on her latest visit while the bloc's Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele was also back in Ukraine for his second visit in four days. "I can only imagine how our European partners would respond if in the heat of a crisis in a country like Greece or Cyprus, our foreign minister would appear at one of their anti-European rallies and begin addressing them," he said at the end of an EU-Russia summit in Brussels.
In December, the assistant US Secretary of State Victoria Nuland handed cakes to protesters while US Senator John McCain addressed 200,000 pro-EU opposition supporters in Kiev, telling them that "America stands with you".
Protests have spread in recent days across Ukraine - even to President Yanukovych's stronghold in the east - and official buildings in several cities have been occupied.Protests have spread in recent days across Ukraine - even to President Yanukovych's stronghold in the east - and official buildings in several cities have been occupied.
On Tuesday the interior ministry reported that protesters had stabbed and wounded three policemen in the southern city of Kherson, one of whom later died. At least five people have been killed in violence linked to the protests.
In total, at least five people have been killed in violence linked to the protests. Mr Yanukovych was democratically elected in 2010 and appeared to be steering the former Soviet state towards EU integration until he rejected a planned trade deal with the bloc just days before it was due to be signed last November.
His decision to favour instead a $15bn (£9bn) bailout from Russia to bolster the ailing public finances angered many EU supporters in Ukraine.
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