Ukrainian Opposition pulls out of talks

‘‘We ask all deputies to be ready to participate and urge all our supporters to mobilise.” Earlier, protesters rushed to parliament and massed at its main door on Tuesday after the Assembly failed to take any decision over a disputed presidential election the Opposition says was rigged.

The parliament speaker appealed to crowds not to storm the building, promising a decision on Wednesday, and an Opposition leader urged protesters to disperse. Many however remained.

There were strong signals, meanwhile, that outgoing President Leonid Kuchma would bow to mounting pressure at home and abroad to allow a fresh presidential poll.

What was less clear was whether he would agree to Opposition demands and allow its candidate Viktor Yushchenko to contest a new run-off vote, or insist on the whole process starting again from scratch.

Even Russia, backer of official election winner Viktor Yanukovich, seemed to come round to the idea of a fresh vote. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said they would respect the outcome of any new poll, according to a German government statement.

In eastern Ukraine, Yanukovich’s stronghold, protesters denounced bids to overturn his victory and there were calls for ‘‘autonomy’’, denounced by liberals as camouflage for separatism.