Ukraine president spurned pressure over protesters

By Stefan Wagstyl, Chrystia Freeland and Tom Warner
Published: December 13 2004 20:45 Last updated: December 13 2004 20:45
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/46681994-4d44-11d9-b3be-00000e2511c8.html
The Ukrainian authorities came close to resorting to violence in trying to solve the country's political crisis.

The Financial Times has learned that the administration of Leonid Kuchma, the authoritarian president, considered deploying troops against the crowds of protesters gathered in central Kiev in support of Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition leader.

Those lobbying for the use of force included senior officials, among them Viktor Medvedchuk, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration and Viktor Yanukovich, the prime minister.

According to people inside and outside Mr Kuchma's administration, the president resisted the pressure and the danger passed.

"The key moment came on Sunday, November 28 (a week after crowds took to Kiev streets), when soldiers were given bullets. Then they were going around not with empty machine guns, but already fully armed. I think that was the peak of the whole conflict," Mr Yushchenko said.

Vasyl Baziv, the deputy head of the presidential administration, told the FT: "I know that many representatives of the [state] apparatus lobbied the president to impose a state of emergency. They said it is time to use state power. The president, from the first moment, was consistently against the use of force."

Western diplomats confirm that Interior Ministry paramilitary troops were prepared to strike. They say Mr Kuchma came under intense pressure to act from Mr Medvedchuk and Mr Yanukovich, Mr Yushchenko's rival to succeed Mr Kuchma as president. They say Mr Kuchma apparently called off the Interior Ministry troops because he did not want to leave office with blood on his hands.

One diplomat said that an attempt by Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, to telephone Mr Kuchma - who refused to take the call - may have influenced his decision. There were also signs that some security forces opposed to violent intervention might try to block the Interior Ministry troops who would have been sent against demonstrators.

The crisis began with the disputed presidential election on Sunday, November 21 in which Mr Yanukovich, Mr Kuchma's candidate, was declared the winner. Mr Yushchenko cried fraud and immediately called his supporters on to the streets.

Tensions rose sharply on Wednesday, November 24, when the Central Election Commission officially confirmed Mr Yanukovich's victory. Mr Yushchenko responded by urging protesters to blockade public buildings, including the cabinet office and the presidential administration.

With Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, and other mediators due in Kiev for conciliation talks on Friday November 26, the authorities considered using force to clear the blockade surrounding the presidential buildings. About 2,000 anti-riot police were deployed in the area. But, with the mediators urging restraint, the Ukrainian authorities backed off.

The talks on November 26 failed to break the deadlock. The following day, the pro-Yushchenko crowds in Kiev swelled to an estimated 500,000, with smaller demonstrations in some other cities.

The critical moments came on Sunday November 28. Mr Yanukovich's supporters in eastern Ukraine raised thestakes by making separatist threats.

Mr Kuchma chaired a meeting of the key National Security Council which discussed plans for armed action. Western diplomats say intelligence reports showed interior ministry troop movements around Kiev. One senior western diplomat says: "There were credible reports that troops were moving on Kiev."

Mr Yushchenko says the protesters responded by increasing their presence outside the cabinet and presidential administration buildings and deciding blockade Mr Kuchma's suburban villa. These actions worked, he says. "We understood that the authorities were afraid to take a decision to use arms."

Mr Baziv argues Mr Kuchma's personal refusal to use force was crucial. "This is Kuchma's one big positive contribution."

By the time Mr Solana and other mediators arrived for more talks late on Tuesday November 30, the threat was over. On Friday December 3, the Supreme Court cancelled the disputed election and ordered new polls on December 26.