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US troubled by ukraine leader poisoned Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7078785 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7078785 U.S. Troubled by News That Ukraine Leader Poisoned Mon Dec 13, 2004 03:04 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States expressed concern on Monday at reports that Ukraine's opposition leader and presidential candidate, Viktor Yuschenko, had been poisoned and called for a full investigation. Yuschenko's Austrian doctors announced on Saturday that he had been poisoned by dioxin and that this was the cause of a disfiguring illness that struck him in September. "It's terrible news to hear, and it's certainly disturbing reports. And I know the Ukraine government is investigating this matter fully, as they should," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "We are deeply disturbed by the physicians' report," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters. Yuschenko faces a Dec. 26 rerun election against Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich. Ukraine's Supreme Court ordered a new vote after it declared invalid a Nov. 21 runoff because of widespread fraud. Yuschenko has accused authorities of being behind the poisoning. He has said he wants an investigation into the poisoning to take place after the new vote. Protests against election fraud brought much of Kiev to a halt for two weeks and raised the prospect of serious instability in the former Soviet republic. Boucher declined to comment on Yuschenko's accusation that Kiev authorities were behind the poisoning. "The doctors have said it was an intentional poisoning, so that needs to be looked at very carefully and there are a variety of proposals for investigation," he said. Following the doctors' disclosures, prosecutors have reopened a criminal case into the poisoning. A commission of members of parliament is also pursuing an investigation.

Full story of ukrainian election fraud Opposition leader yushchenko sworn as ukrainian president Parliament to swear in yushchenko on jan 23 Protests grow as ukraine vote crisis deepens { November 24 2004 } Putin says election results are clear Putin says revote would be useless Ukrain parliament declares presidential election invalid { November 28 2004 } Ukraine must probe election fraud Ukraine opposition leader declares himself president Ukraine protesters claim election fraud { November 23 2004 } US money helped opposition in ukraine US troubled by ukraine leader poisoned Yanukovych accuses US of meddling in election { December 13 2004 } Yushchenko declares victory in contested election Yushchenko poisoning diagnosis rock solid Yushchenko was poisoned doctors say { December 12 2004 } Files Listed: 16

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