Ukrainian officials this week declared Prime Minister ViktorYanukovych the winner of Ukraine's presidential election. They sayhe defeated opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko in the election lastSunday. Officials say Mister Yanukovych won forty-nine percent ofthe vote. They say Mister Yushchenko received forty-six percent.

But on Thursday, Ukraine's Supreme Court stopped the CentralElections Commission from officially publishing the electionresults. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear objections from MisterYushchenko and his supporters on Monday.

Mister Yushchenko says there was widespread cheating in theelection. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,the European Union and the United States also have criticized thevote. But Russian observers are dismissing the criticism. RussianPresident Vladimir Putin has praised the election as open andhonest.

Since Monday, oppositionsupporters have demonstrated in Kiev and other cities to protest theofficial election results. On Friday, demonstrators blockedentrances to government offices in the capital. They also brieflystopped Prime Minister Yanukovych from entering his office. At thesame time, many mineworkers who support him were entering the city.

The V-O-A reporter in Kiev has said there are fears that Ukrainecould divide if the dispute is not dealt with quickly. EasternUkraine supported Mister Yanukovych in the election. The westernpart of the country supported Mister Yushchenko.

Some historians and political scientists say the two menrepresent a divide between Russia and Europe. Russia has deepeconomic, ethnic and language ties to Ukraine. It considers Ukrainean important ally. The Russian President attended election campaignevents for Mister Yanukovych.

The Ukrainian Prime Minister wants to strengthen economic andpolitical ties with Russia. Many of his supporters speak Russian.The areas where they live depend economically on Russia.

Most supporters of Mister Yushchenko mainly speak Ukrainian. Manylive in Ukraine's largest cities. Mister Yushchenko says he supportsdemocratic reforms and wants to ease government controls. He alsowants to increase ties between his country and the West.

One year ago, elections for parliament were held in Georgia.Public protests over that vote led Georgia's President to resign.

On Friday, Ukrainian PresidentLeonid Kuchma met with the two candidates. European and Russianofficials also attended the meeting. They included European Unionforeign policy chief Javier Solana and President AleksanderKwasniewski of Poland. Later, Mister Kuchma announced the creationof a working group to end the election dispute. He said bothcandidates agreed to stand against any use of force to settle thecrisis.

IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English, was written by Jill Moss andJerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.