APPEAL TO ANNUL ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE REJECTED. The Supreme Court on 26 November rejected Communist leader Petro Symonenko's appeal to annul the results of the presidential elections, Interfax reported. Symonenko had cited numerous violations of electoral procedures and voters' rights during the 14 November runoff. The court responded that invalidating the results of presidential elections in Ukraine is not within its jurisdiction. In the runoff, Kuchma gained 56.21 percent of the vote compared with Symonenko's 37.77 percent backing. JM

UKRAINE RESTARTS CHORNOBYL. The authorities on 28 November restarted the only working reactor at the Chornobyl power plant after five months of repairs. Under a 1995 agreement with the G-7 countries, Ukraine pledged to close Chornobyl by 2000. However, Kyiv says it has not received the money it was promised to complete two new nuclear reactors, and therefore will run the Chornobyl reactor until an unspecified date next year. JM