Ukraine's supreme court Thursday confirmed Viktor Yushchenko's election as president, and rejected an appeal filed by Viktor Yanukovich, Yushchenko's rival in the Dec. 26 poll.

The move thus cleared the way for Y ushchenko's inauguration.

"The court has concluded that the complaint should not be granted," chief presiding justice Anatoly Yarema said in reading the decision on an appeal filed by Yanukovich, the former prime minister.

Yushchenko defeated Yanukovich in the ballot by a margin of eight percentage points. Enditem