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Ukraine rivals seek end to crisis Ukraine rivals hold crisis talks
(about 2 hours later)
A new round of crisis talks between Ukraine's feuding leaders is due to take place in the capital, Kiev. A new round of crisis talks between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych is taking place in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
President Viktor Yushchenko has been locked in a power struggle with PM Viktor Yanukovych for several months. The talks, which were delayed by several hours, are aimed at resolving a increasingly bitter power struggle between the two leaders.
The two held late-night talks on Friday amid worsening tensions, but the meeting broke up without agreement. The two held late-night talks on Friday but failed to reach an agreement.
The talks come amid reports around 2,000 interior ministry troops loyal to Mr Yushchenko are trying to head towards the capital. The meeting came as about 2,000 interior ministry troops loyal to Mr Yushchenko headed towards the capital.
"According to our information, 82 vehicles are moving towards Kiev now with 2,050 interior troops in them," Interior Ministry deputy head Mykhaylo Korniyenko told a televised news conference. The deputy head of the interior ministry - which is loyal to Mr Yanukovych - said that the troops were being led by a commander loyal to Mr Yushchenko and acting in defiance of their orders.
They were being led by a commander loyal to Mr Yushchenko and acting in defiance of orders from the interior minister, he said. But "practically all of them have been stopped in different places", AFP news agency quoted Mykhaylo Korniyenko as saying.
But "practically all of them have been stopped in different places", AFP news agency quoted him as saying. WHO CONTROLS WHAT? President Yushchenko commands the 300,000-strong armed forcesInterior Ministry commands 40,000 troops and more than 200,000 policeCommander of Interior Ministry troops Oleksandr Kikhtenko is loyal to Mr YushchenkoMr Yushchenko said he was taking command of Interior Ministry troops on Friday
A spokesman for the troops, meanwhile, told Ukrainian television that they were going to Kiev following an order from the president to assist the State Guard Directorate. A statement from the president's office said that the deployment was "an established practise" to oversee the safety of state institutions and public order, Reuters news agency said.
Growing concern Mr Yushchenko said he was assuming control of the 40,000 Interior Ministry troops on Friday.
The talks were due to start at 1200 (0900 GMT) but they have been delayed for several hours. His order came a day after riot police - acting on the orders of the interior minister - defended the offices of Ukraine's prosecutor-general, a Yanukovych ally who Mr Yushchenko had sacked.
They come amid escalating tension between the two men and growing international concern over the crisis. The two men held three hours of talks on Friday, but failed to resolve their differences.
Snap poll
Saturday's talks were due to start at 1200 (0900 GMT) but were delayed for several hours.
In pictures: Power struggleIn pictures: Power struggle
On Thursday, Mr Yushchenko sacked the country's prosecutor-general, a member of Mr Yanukovych's party. Key lawmakers, including opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, were also expected to attend.
But Interior Minister Vasily Tsushko, who backs Mr Yanukovych, ordered riot police into the prosecutor-general's office to protect him. The arch rivals are expected to discuss when to hold an early parliamentary election, says the BBC's Helen Fawkes in Kiev.
Mr Yushchenko then said he was assuming command of the 40,000 troops controlled by the Interior Ministry, a move Mr Yanukovych condemned as unconstitutional. Both men agree that there has to be a new vote to resolve their dispute, our correspondent says.
The two men held three hours of talks on Friday, but no agreement was reached. Mr Yushchenko became president in January 2005 following the pro-democracy Orange Revolution, which overturned a rigged victory for Mr Yanukovych.
Thousands of supporters of each side are gathering in the capital and security has been stepped up.
Bitter rivals
Mr Yushchenko became president in January 2005, following the pro-democracy Orange Revolution, which overturned a rigged victory for Mr Yanukovych.
But Mr Yushchenko was forced to accept his rival as prime minister after his allies failed to win a majority in the March 2006 parliamentary election, and the two men have repeatedly clashed.But Mr Yushchenko was forced to accept his rival as prime minister after his allies failed to win a majority in the March 2006 parliamentary election, and the two men have repeatedly clashed.
The crisis has been deepening since April, when Mr Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called a snap election, accusing his rival of using illegal methods to expand his parliamentary majority. In April, Mr Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called a snap election, accusing his rival of trying to usurp his power.
Mr Yanukovych and his governing coalition initially rejected the move but later agreed in principle with the president to hold early elections. Now the two sides have to fix a date for the polls.
The president favours closer ties with the West, while the prime minister is seen as more pro-Russian.The president favours closer ties with the West, while the prime minister is seen as more pro-Russian.
The EU has urged both parties to settle the deepening crisis though negotiation and not resort to violence. There is growing international concern over the situation in the country. The EU has urged both parties to settle the deepening crisis though negotiation and not resort to violence.