31.   The Ukrainian government had already rejected the referendum as illegal and threatened to dissolve the Crimean parliament unless it dropped the plan.

32.   The Ukrainian parliament on Friday also annulled a series of laws passed by the Crimean parliament, including one calling for local elections.

33.   The Ukraine government last month annulled the Crimean constitution and the powers of the Crimean parliament in an attempt to keep its growing defiance in check.

34.   Ukraine Saturday lifted a cordon of soldiers placed around the Crimean parliament allowing deputies to enter and leave the building freely, a Crimean parliament spokesman said.

35.   Under Ukrainian law, the power to dismiss the Crimean parliament and local councils belongs to the Ukrainian parliament, the agency said.

36.   Kuznetsov, whose appointment by Meshkov was endorsed by the Crimean parliament, holds court in a large office at the interior ministry.

37.   Kuchma said he did not intend to dissolve the Crimean parliament despite its support for Meshkov.

38.   Meanwhile the deputies, banned from meeting in the Crimean parliament, went on working in a neighbouring building.

39.   Meshkov was reportedly isolated in the Crimean parliament building on Sunday, with his telephones cut off.

40.   Most of the other MPs from the Crimean parliament are pro-Russian.