Ukraine PM resigns to ease crisis
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Kyiv : Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigned in a bid to defuse Ukraine’s deadly crisis and preserve its unity, finally giving into months of pressure from street protesters. Azarov said he had taken a “personal decision” to resign to preserve Ukraine’s unity as parliament opened a session to vote on reforms and concessions backed by President Viktor Yanukovych.
The European Union and United States cranked up pressure on Yanukovych to impose serious reforms to end a standoff that turned parts of Kyiv into a war zone patrolled by masked protesters and left three activists dead.
After a four hour meeting with opposition leaders, the presidency said that controversial anti-protest laws passed on January 16 would be cancelled and amnesty granted for jailed protesters on conditions public buildings and streets were freed up. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton brought forward a visit to Kyiv by several days while US Vice President Joe Biden urged Yanukovych to work with the opposition on “immediate measures” to de-escalate the crisis.