Brussels, 29/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - With the Supreme Court of Ukraine looking at the complaint lodged by the opposition contesting the results of the second round of the presidential elections held last week, the European Commission warned against any political division of the country, between the western part which is very much in favour of the opposition candidate Viktor Yuschenko, and the eastern part, which largely supports the candidate of the ruling party, the current Prime Minister Victor Yanukovic. "The European Union believes that it is very important to avoid any schism in Ukraine. We hope that both sides will come to a peaceful outcome independently and using dialogue", said a European Commission spokesperson, Françoise Le Bail, speaking to the press on Monday. The risk of a division in the country was accentuated on Sunday when the regional leaders of eastern Ukraine (which are in favour of Mr Yanukovic) openly threatened to hold referendums on self-governance if the opposition manages to have Mr Yanokovic's victory overturned by the Supreme Court. The Commission spokesperson also commented that the EU had its doubts about the legal possibility of a region of Ukraine to break away. "We believe that there are a number of articles in the Ukrainian Constitution which prevent any division of Ukraine", she said.
The High Representative for the foreign policy of the European Union, Javier Solana, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, also called out on Monday for the "unity and territorial integrity" of Ukraine to be preserved. "We believe that the unity of Ukraine is fundamental", said Mr Solana, at a joint press briefing with Mr Hoop de Scheffer. The Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance stressed the "importance of preserving the territorial integrity" of the country. "The feeling of belonging to a nation is extremely important in this case, and it is on this basis that a solution must be found", he said. Mr Solana stressed that any threat to hold referendums on self-governance of any region of Ukraine was "unwelcome", and called for "the continuation of dialogue and a political solution" to the crisis shaking the country. Mr Solana and Mr de Hoop Scheffer also both stressed the need to avoid acts of violence. "What we must do is use all means available to avoid any eruption of violence", said Mr Solana, who attended talks in Kiev last Friday on behalf of the EU (see EUROPE of 27 November, p.3). Mr Solana voiced his hopes that the decision of the Supreme Court would "help" resolve the crisis.
The European Parliament has confirmed that Vladymir Lytvyn, President of the Ukrainian parliament, will be taking part in an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Presidents of the political groups on Wednesday (from 1pm to 2.30), by invitation of President Borrell, to which the Presidents of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the EP Elmar Brok and the President and vice-presidents of the delegation for relations with Ukraine, Maarek Maciej Siwiec, Charles Tannock and Filip Adwent, have also been invited.