The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 21, 2005, Page 3, Image 3
Yushchenko gets go-ahead from parliament^
By JIM HEINTZ
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KIEV, Ukraine — Viktor
Yushchenko will be sworn in Sunday as
president of Ukraine, completing his
“Orange Revolution” after weeks of
political turmoil in which he defeated
the Kremlin-backed candidate at the
polls and survived a mysterious
poisoning plot.
Lawmakers on Thursday hurriedly
scheduled the inauguration in a decision
that came hours after Yushchenko cleared
the last of a series of legal obstacles that
had arisen since the Dec. 26 election,
including an appeal filed in the Supreme
Court by loser Viktor Yanukovych.
Yanukovych, the former prime
minister, had been supported by the
Kremlin over Yushchenko, who aims to
bring Ukraine closer to the European
Union and NATO. But Russian
President Vladimir Putin issued quick
congratulations to Yushchenko, whose
team said he would make a working visit
to Moscow on Monday.
On state television, Yanukovych
predicted Yushchenko would be unable
to maintain good relations with Russia
and he declared he would stay in politics
to lead the opposition.
“I’ll do everything I can to restore
justice,” he said. “The ‘orange
nightmare’ will not last long.”
The huge pro-Yushchenko
demonstrations in Kiev, with many
people wearing his orange campaign
colors, arose after the Nov. 21 election
in which Yanukovych was declared the
winner. The Supreme Court annulled
that result because of widespread fraud,
and Yushchenko won the Dec. 26 court
ordered rerun balloting by about 8
percentage points.
As Yanukovych’s chances of
overturning the results appeared to
weaken in recent days, his supporters set
up tent camps in several cities in eastern
Ukraine, echoes of the once-enormous
pro-Yushchenko camp in downtown
Kiev.
Yanukovych on Thursday called for
the camps to be taken down. But state
television broadcasts from several of the
cities indicated that crowds of his
supporters were sizable, underlining the
polarization Yushchenko faces as
president.
Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma
also congratulated Yushchenko,
according to his office. Kuchma, whose
decade in power was marked by
allegations of corruption and pressure
against opposition forces and
journalists, had favored Yanukovych as
his successor.
During the campaign, Yushchenko
was poisoned with a nearly lethal
amount of dioxin that scarred his face
' and left him with gastrointestinal pain
and a severe backache. He blamed the
government; it denied involvement.
Doctors have said they expect a gradual
recovery, although they fear an increased
long-term risk of a heart attack, cancer
or other chronic diseases.
Yushchenko’s spokeswoman Irina
Herashenko said the visit to Moscow
would be followed a day later by a trip
to Strasbourg, France, to address the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe. He plans to speak at the
European Parliament on Jan. 27. The
Western European swing will also take
Yushchenko to the international
economic forum in Davos,
Switzerland.
Details of the inauguration program
were still being worked out, and the
Foreign Ministry was sending last
minute invitations to heads of state. U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell will
attend in one of his last official acts.
Among other dignitaries on hand will be
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer and Polish President Alexander
Kwasniewski.
State Department spokesman Richard
Boucher congratulated the Ukrainian
people for their courage in “standing up
for their democratic rights,” a reference to
the pro-democracy protests that facilitated
Yushchenko’s rise to power.
“The United States stands ready to
strengthen its cooperation with Ukraine
and looks forward to working closely with
Ukraine’s new president,” Boucher said.
Workers draped bright orange
decorations on the columns of a concert
hall adjacent to Independence Square,
site of the huge demonstrations by
Yushchenko’s supporters.
The inauguration is to begin with
Yushchenko taking the oath of office in
parliament, followed by a military
ceremony at Mariinsky Palace, the
ornate building housing the ceremonial
offices of the president. Yushchenko will
then speak at Independence Square.
Before dawn Thursday, the Supreme
Court rejected an appeal of last month’s
election by Yanukovych, saying there
was insufficient evidence to support his
claim that millions of citizens were
disenfranchised by last-minute election
law reforms canceling the use of absentee
ballots.
Shortly before the decision was
announced, government newspapers
printed the results of the Dec. 26
election, opening the way for parliament
to schedule the inauguration, and 309 of
450 deputies voted to hold the
ceremony on Sunday.
ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Western-leaning reformer Viktor Yushchenko’s long and tension-filled drive to become Ukraine’s
president cleared its final hurdles before dawn Thursday when government newspapers printed
election results and the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the losing candidate. After deliberations
that stretched to 2:30 a.m., the court announced it had rejected the appeal of Viktor Yanukovych, the
former prime minister who was seen as likely to bring Ukraine closer into Russia’s sphere of influence,
“The inauguration is set for noon,
Sunday, Jan. 23,” parliamentary
speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said as
dozens of pro-Yushchenko deputies
applauded.
Acting Prime Minister Mykola
Azarov announced that the government
would offer its resignation immediately
after the inauguration, the Interfax news
agency reported. Yushchenko will
appoint a new government, though
Azarov will remain as caretaker until the
new government is appointed.
Yanukovych representative Nestor
Shufrich said an appeal would be
launched at the European Court of
Human Rights, an attempt to
undermine Yushchenko’s standing
among the countries he aims to court for
integration into the European Union.
Yushchenko’s camp dismissed such
threats. Ukraine, under Yushchenko,
“will show what real democracy means,”
aide Petro Poroshenko declared.
Bush takes oath, vows to confront tyranny on foreign shores
PAUL SANCYA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Bush takes the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington
on Thursday. Amid unprecedented security measures, Bush asked
Americans for patience in the war on terror.
By TERENCE HUNT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — George W. Bush
embarked on an ambitious second term
as president Thursday, telling a world
anxious about war and terrorism that the
United States would not shrink from
new confrontations in pursuit of “the
great objective of ending tyranny.”
Four minutes before noon, Bush
placed his left hand on a family Bible
and recited 39 tradition-hallowed words
that every president since George
Washington has uttered.
With 150,000 American troops
deployed in Iraq at a cost of $ 1 billion a
week and more than 1,360 killed, Bush
also beseeched Americans for patience.
“Our country ' has accepted
obligations that are difficult to fulfill and
would be dishonorable to abandon,” the
president declared in the first wartime
inauguration in more than three decades.
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist,
80 years old and frail with thyroid
cancer, administered the oath in his first
public appearance in three months — a
gesture Bush called “incredibly moving.”
Rehnquist’s ill health may give Bush a
second-term opportunity to nominate
the Supreme Court’s first new justice in
nearly 11 years.
It was the first inauguration since the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and
the capital was enveloped in a security
blanket of thousands of police and miles
of metal barricades. Snipers lined
rooftops, while bomb-sniffing dogs
toiled down below.
Bush spoke before a shivering throng
at the West Front of the Capitol, the
monuments of American government
— Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln —
stretched before him on a snowy
landscape. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.,
who had battled Bush for the
presidency, watched along with other
lawmakers.
The nation’s 55th inauguration
celebration stretched from a 40-minute
morning prayer service at St. John’s
Church to late-night revelry at nine
fancy balls. The festivities were financed
by $40 million in private donations and
tens of millions in related costs.
Bush rode in an armored limousine,
behind police on motorcycles in a V
formation, to lead the inaugural parade
1.7 miles down Pennsylvania Avenue to
the White House. The license plate read:
USA 1.
Hundreds of anti-war protesters,
some carrying coffin-like cardboard
boxes to signify the deaths of U.S. troops
in Iraq, stood along the parade route.
They jeered and shook their fists as Bush
rode past. “Worst president ever,
impeachbush.org” one sign said.
Another read: “Guilty of war crimes.”
Rows of law enforcement officers
stood between the protesters and the
parade, and Bush’s motorcade sped up
as it passed the demonstration area. The
president and his wife, Laura, got out of
the car to walk the last two blocks to the
White House.
Democrats attended the
inauguration but didn’t hide their
unhappiness.
“Personally, I don’t feel much like
celebrating,” said House Democratic
leader Nancy Pelosi of California. “So
I’m going to mark the occasion by
pledging to do everything in my power
to fight the extremist Republican’s
destructive agenda.”
Entering his second term with one of
the lowest approval ratings of any recent
two-term president, Bush was
unapologetic in his speech about the
course he had set over four tumultuous
years.
He challenged critics of his quest to
spread democracy across the Middle
East, saying that now “is an odd time for
doubt.” And he voiced eagerness to
confront oppressive rule around the
globe in the name of spreading freedom.
“All who live in tyranny and
hopelessness can know: The United
States will not ignore oppression or
excuse your oppressors,” Bush said.
“When you stand for your liberty, we
will stand with you.”
The United States’ policy is to
promote democratic movements and
institutions in every nation and culture
“with the ultimate goal of ending
tyranny in our world,” he said.
“This is not primarily #the task of
arms, though we will defend ourselves
and our friends by force when
necessary,” the president said.
The spread of freedom and liberty are
the oldest ideals of America, Bush said.
“Now it is the urgent requirement of our
nation’s security, and the calling of our
time.”
■ THEFT
Continued from page 1
“My philosophy as a coach has
always been to allow the university
and campus law enforcement to
handle all aspects of any
investigation, and we fully support
their decision with this,” Spurrier
said. “Hopefully we’ll never have a
situation like this happen again.
Newton was expected to
compete for the starting
quarterback position under
Spurrier, a spot at which he and
Pinkins traded off last season.
Comments on this story ? E-mail
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SAINT- TELFORT WILSON
PREUX
JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK
Adam Schaffer addresses new members of USC’s surf club in the
group’s first spring meeting Thursday night in the Russell House.
■ SURF
Continued from page 1
Club tradition and way to cut dining
costs on their excursions.
The club is planning four to six
surfing trips and a snowboarding trip
each month. It meets almost weekly and
is online at web.sa.sc.edu/CSC.
For students coming to USC from
surfing hotspots, the club helps fill the
void.
“I surfed a lot in Charleston,” said
Richard Balentine, a first-year Spanish
student. “At least this way I can surf.”
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gamecocknetvs@gumt.sc.edu
■ PROGRAM
Continued from page 1
“More locations for distribution
would make the program much more
convenient. Maybe with a fee increase we
can fund extra distribution centers
around campus,” he said.
Distribution sites include the Moore
School of Business, Carolina Coliseum,
Gambrell Hall and the School of Law.
The next step for the resolution to
revise the fees is the office of Rick Kelly,
vice president and chief financial officer of
the Business and Finance Division. From
there, Kelly might recommend the changes
to Vice President for Student Affairs
Dennis Pruitt, who could then invite the
Board of Trustees to vote on the measure
during the Board’s March meeting.
Regardless of the vote, Scott said he
believes that newspapers play a vital role
in educating students and that free
newspapers are a good way to encourage a
habit of lifelong reading.
“The purpose of the newspaper is to
educate its readers on affairs outside the
local spectrum,” Scott said. “College is a
perfect time to do this.”
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■ ORDINANCE
Continued from page 1
residents having their cars broken into
avid even people getting iMigged on the
street near their residence.
“I don’t want to attract (criminals) to
this area,” Fenner said. “We are trying to
make this a place we are proud of and a
place that is safe to live.”
Fenner warns students to pay close
attention to the leases they sign because
what is not in the lease is what students
are held accountable for.
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gamecockne it).s@gwm.sc. edu
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