EU calls for new Ukraine runoff
(CNN) -- The European Parliament has called for a rerun of the Ukrainian presidential election between Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who was proclaimed the winner amid allegations of fraud.
The Parliament's strongly worded resolution on Thursday threatened sanctions if the government engages in any violent suppression of peaceful protest.
It also and directly rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's charge that the European Union was itself inciting violence by supporting the fraud allegations.
"Parliament rejects allegations, especially by the Russian President, that, by expressing their support for the Ukrainian people's right to exercise their democratic rights, the European Union and the international community were encouraging violence; stresses at the same time that Russia carries a great responsibility for the situation in Ukraine," the resolution said.
The Parliament called for a fresh vote by the end of the year "whilst guaranteeing an open and transparent electoral process in accordance with international democratic standards during both the election campaign and the actual voting and counting of votes, and thoroughly improving the election campaign conditions."
"Parliament calls on the government to refrain from exerting any pressure on the media, especially public media, so that the Ukrainian people receive objective and impartial information on the candidates and the current political situation in the country," the resolution said.
"In no way can the use of violence against peaceful, democratic protest be tolerated and ... if this is not adhered to, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will immediately be suspended and sanctions applied," it said.
The resolution did not specify what type of sanctions would be applied.
The Parliament also implicitly gave its endorsement to the articles of an agreement Yushchenko and Yanukovych reached Wednesday through the mediation of European Union leaders and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma in Kiev.
Yushchenko's opposition and the government agreed on a commitment to non-violence during the dispute, and the opposition agreed to lift its blockade on government buildings.
Following the Kiev agreement's lead, the Parliament also condemned threats by some regions in Ukraine's east -- which backed Yanukovych for president -- to push for autonomy within Ukraine.
