Thousands of demonstrators pressing to install Ukraine’s opposition leader as president after a disputed election launched fresh street rallies in the capital for the third day yesterday. Protesters who brought central Kiev to a halt in support of liberal challenger Viktor Yushchenko confronted riot police by the president’s offices on Tuesday night after a day of high drama, which saw their candidate proclaim himself president.

By 6:30 a.m. (0430 GMT) yesterday knots of protesters were out again on the streets, marching in groups up and down Kiev’s main mall, Khreshchatyk, and boisterously chanting “Yushchenko! Yushchenko!” More than 2,000 people spent another night in tents stretching part way down the thoroughfare that was blanketed in white after a heavy snowfall overnight. Yushchenko supporters, easily recognisable by the vivid orange campaign colours that they wear, planned to head for the president’s offices again later in the day.

Incomplete official results, still to be confirmed as final by election officials, show Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich poised to win Sunday’s run-off vote between the rivals who stand for different images for the future of Ukraine. Yanukovich sees future prosperity in closer ties with Russia. Yushchenko favours gradual integration with Western Europe, but recognises Russia as a “strategic partner.”

<B>Elaborate on their strategy</B>

Demonstrators moved away from the president’s offices late in the evening after outgoing President Leonid Kuchma called for talks with all parties to solve the election row. But he dismissed the opposition protests as a political farce. “We’ll give Kuchma time to work out his proposals. Tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock we’ll give him our response,” fiery parliamentarian Yulia Tymoshenko, a close aide to Yushchenko, said on Tuesday night. “Let no one say we came here in vain. They’re afraid. They’re on the defensive.” Other Yushchenko allies said they would elaborate on their strategy yesterday in Independence Square, that drew up to 200,000 people on Tuesday.

Protesters had moved on the president’s office in response to an appeal from Tymoshenko, a former deputy prime minister.

For a time, tension ran high as protesters challenged riot police equipped with shields. But Tymoshenko and another member of parliament were eventually allowed through police lines and told senior officers no one intended to storm the building. Her attempts to persuade the police to join the protest recalled scenes that led to the fall of Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze exactly a year ago.

Kuchma, who backed his prime minister in the race against Yushchenko, made it plain in a statement read on state television that he would not yield to the protesters. “This political farce being played out now ... is very dangerous and can lead to unforeseen consequences,” the statement said. “I urge representatives of all political forces in Ukraine to sit down immediately at the negotiating table ...” The authorities, he said, would not be the first to use force but were “ready to uphold law and order. ”

At an emergency session of parliament, boycotted by the premier’s allies, Yushchenko blamed Yanukovich and Kuchma for fraud he says robbed him of three million votes in the run-off. He made his symbolic gesture, reading the presidential oath of office after parliament’s speaker hurriedly closed the session to ensure no constitutional rules were broken.

Placing his hand on a bible as his allies in the chamber sang the national anthem, he read the oath, opened a window in the building and spoke to supporters outside. The United States said allegations of fraud had to be investigated and warned Ukraine about using force against demonstrators. The State Department summoned the Russian ambassador over Moscow’s early congratulations to Yanukovich.

<B> Ron Popeski</B>