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Ukraine protesters quit key building | Ukraine protesters quit key building |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ukraine protesters are vacating city hall in Kiev, the symbolic centre of prolonged anti-government demonstrations, eyewitnesses say. | Ukraine protesters are vacating city hall in Kiev, the symbolic centre of prolonged anti-government demonstrations, eyewitnesses say. |
"City hall is almost completely evacuated", opposition spokesman Ruslan Andriyko told AFP. | "City hall is almost completely evacuated", opposition spokesman Ruslan Andriyko told AFP. |
The government had promised to drop all charges against demonstrators if they vacate government buildings and lift roadblocks by Monday. | |
City hall has been occupied by protesters for more than two months. | City hall has been occupied by protesters for more than two months. |
The protests started in November when President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned plans to sign a far-ranging association agreement with the EU. | The protests started in November when President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned plans to sign a far-ranging association agreement with the EU. |
Instead, he advocated closer trade relations with Russia, which dominated Ukraine for centuries until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. | |
Prisoners released | |
People began walking out of the building on Sunday morning. | |
The Swiss ambassador in Kiev entered the building soon afterwards in order to help transfer the building to the control of the authorities. | |
Switzerland currently holds the rotating presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. | |
On Friday authorities released the last of 243 prisoners who were arrested during the unrest. | |
Mr Yanukovich passed an amnesty law earlier this month and agreed to negotiate with the opposition after at least four people were killed in protests. | |
This weekend, some opposition members continued to call for his departure, and another demonstration is due to place in Kiev's central Independence Square. | |
"The only subject of negotiation with Yanukovych is the conditions of his departure," jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko said on Saturday. | |
She went to accuse the Ukrainian president of being under the control of Russia's Vladimir Putin, his major international backer. |