Ukraine's Parliament OKs Electoral Reforms

[maddezmom]

2 minutes ago Europe - AP


By ALEKSANDAR VASOVIC, Associated Press Writer

KIEV, Ukraine - Ukraine's parliament adopted a package of electoral and constitutional changes Wednesday in a compromise intended to defuse the nation's festering political crisis.

The vote was approved in a 402-21 vote with 19 abstentions. Lawmakers stood and cheered as President Leonid Kuchma signed the measure in the chamber.


"Over the last 100 years, Ukraine has more than once suffered through a crisis, but there was always enough common sense to find a way out and a decision," Kuchma said.


Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko had pushed strongly for electoral changes to close loopholes for fraud in the Dec. 26 rerun of the disputed election, but resisted the constitutional changes, which would transfer some presidential powers to parliament.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=1&u=/ap/20041208/ap_on_re_eu/ukraine_election

[maddezmom]

1. NATO Postpones Meeting with Ukraine Minister

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO (news - web sites) has postponed a meeting due on Thursday between its foreign ministers and their Ukrainian counterpart but will seek early talks with a foreign minister of a "new and legitimate" Ukraine government, NATO sources said.



"We'll keep the channels open. But this is a sign that NATO cannot legitimize the current Ukraine government," one source said after a meeting of NATO envoys in Brussels.


"NATO will look to invite the foreign minister of a new and legitimate government to Brussels as soon as practicable," the source added.


Envoys to the 26-member alliance had said earlier they wanted to avoid high-level contacts with a government accused of election fraud.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041208/wl_nm/nato_ukraine_postponement_dc

[teryang]

2. Changing electoral law after the election?

Having another election because you didn't like the outcome?

Tomenko's a crook and a western corporate proxy.