Ukraine's PM Tymoshenko withdraws vote challenge

[February 20, 2010]  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- Ukraine's embattled premier Yulia Tymoshenko says she has withdrawn her legal challenge to the results of the country's presidential election.

Tymoshenko said Saturday she "sees no sense" in continuing her appeal since Ukraine's Administrative Court has refused to consider the documents she claims show the falsification of some election results.

Tymoshenko lost the Feb. 7 presidential runoff to pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych by just 3.5 percentage points. She has refused to concede and has urged a full re-count.

Tymoshenko led the 2004 Orange Revolution, which lead to a court's overturning Yanukovych's presidential election victory that year and ordering a rerun that was won by her ally, Viktor Yushchenko.

Judge Alexander Nechitailo said court rules do not address a withdrawal, and the court might continue considering Tymoshenko's appeal.

[Associated Press]

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