Ukraine tough on Crimea

(First Edition)

The Ukrainian parliament yesterday rejected proposals by President Leonid Kravchuk to settle the crisis sparked by secessionist Crimea and called for tougher measures to bring the predominantly Russian-speaking republic back into the fold, AFP reports from Kiev.

Deputies voted down President Kravchuk's proposal to establish within a month a constitutional court that would examine the legality of Crimea's secessionist constitution. They criticised the plan as vague and accused the President of yielding to Crimean separatists to avoid taking firm action ahead of the presidential election on 26 June.