Talks Fail to Break Ukraine Deadlock

Talks between the Ukrainian president and prime minister, aimed at ending the country's biggest political crisis since the 2004 Orange Revolution, ended in stalemate today.

The president, Viktor Yushchenko - who came to power following weeks of street protests after he lost an election rigged in favour of Viktor Yanukovich - has dissolved parliament and called elections.

Mr Yanukovich, the prime minister, and his supporters are resisting the move, and have asked the constitutional court to review the president's decree.

Mr Yushchenko now faces protests against his own rule, with 20,000 of Mr Yanukovich's supporters holding a rally at Independence Square in the capital, Kiev, today.

According to a presidential spokesman, Mr Yushchenko told Mr Yanukovich that a solution to the crisis was possible "only under the condition of early parliamentary elections".

However, the prime minister refused to back down, the transport minister, Mykola Rudkovsky, told demonstrators in Kiev. "Yushchenko won't compromise," he said. "We must show the president that it is not permissible to ignore half of the country."

Mr Yushchenko has defended his order to call elections for May 27, saying the move was necessary because MPs' defections to Mr Yanukovich's ruling faction were unlawful.

The constitutional court is scheduled to begin a hearing on the issue tomorrow.