EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Friday candidates in Ukraine's contended presidential election had agreed that protests would be peaceful and would not prevent the government from functioning.

"Both sides committed themselves to letting government officials work. But the right to a peaceful demonstration is a right people have," Solana told a news conference after attending round-table talks aimed at settling a political crisis in the ex-Soviet state.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said late Friday that he would insist on a new vote in future negotiations with his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

He said he had rejected a proposal by Yanukovich, and that a solution to the political crisis was needed within days.