European-brokered talks to agree a deal between supporters of Ukraine's opposition leader Mr Viktor Yushchenko and their pro-government foes stalled last night.
An agreement was reached late last night between Mr Yushchenko's legislators and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych outlined a simultaneous passage of electoral changes to prevent fraud in the December 26th presidential election rerun and constitutional reform, supported by Mr Yanukovych, that would trim presidential powers.
Both parties agreed to vote for them all at once today.
Mr Yushchenko has pushed strongly for electoral amendments to close loopholes for official fraud that marred the November 21st election and prompted the Supreme Court to cancel the victory of his Kremlin-backed rival.
But that deal appeared in jeopardy early today after the European-mediated talks between both candidates and outgoing President Leonid Kuchma.
Mr Kuchma told reporters that the parties had failed to agree on the constitutional reform and on the opposition's push for Mr Yanukovych's resignation.
"A conciliatory commission will start working tomorrow," he said, hoping it would "achieve success and solve the issues which we failed to solve." Mr Kuchma spoke after the talks held at the presidential palace, which was surrounded by several hundred of Mr Yushchenko's supporters who shouted: "Down with Kuchma!"
The compromise agreement signed after the talks contained Mr Kuchma's pledge to reshuffle the Central Election Commission - a key opposition demand - and emphasised the need to pass electoral changes to ensure "a fair and transparent vote".
However, the lack on consensus on the constitutional changes made the implementation of those pledges unlikely.
PA