KIEV, May 27 ??“ Ukrainian leaders following 10-hour crisis talks throughout Saturday night have agreed to hold early general election on Sept. 30 thus averting a doomsday scenario that could provoke a major confrontation.

Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko and pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych reached the deal that may signal an end to a 54-day standoff that had been already starting to get out of control.

The deal is set to diffuse the crisis that had started to escalate on Thursday with police forces loyal to the pro-Russian coalition clashing with forces loyal to the president.

The agreement calls for the early election on Sept. 30, or three months after the date that had been earlier set by Yushchenko??™s decree issued on April 26. In order for the election to take effect, Parliament is to approve a set of bills at a session scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We have great news for this holy day. The political crisis in Ukraine is over," Yushchenko said as he emerged from a church service marking the Orthodox Trinity holiday hours after the talks had ended.

The deal is a relief for many and comes after the crisis had started to escalate with rival groups using forces in an attempt to prevail over the rivals.

Special police forces, loyal to Yanukovych, stormed in the building of the General Prosecutor??™s Office on Thursday trying to block Yushchenko??™s move to replace the top prosecutor Sviatoslav Piskun.

Yushchenko responded Friday by apparently ordering internal ministry troops into the capital. The troops, which appeared to be not armed, had been stopped by traffic police outside Kiev, according to television reports.

But the deal, which was agreed at about 4:00 AM on Sunday, seeks to stop the escalation as the pro-Russian coalition had finally accepted the early election.

The agreement is seen as a victory for Yushchenko, who convinced the prime minister to accept the election, which de facto threatens to oust his governing coalition.

???I can not say that it was easy, but after long discussions, we found a compromise,??? Yushchenko said. ???Ukraine is coming out of this crisis stronger. The negotiation process showed that democratic foundations dominate in regulating such serious crises. I am pleased that Ukraine has attested itself as being a mature democracy.???

Yanukovich, who on Friday accused the president of staging a coup d??™etat, said the the crisis had gone too far. ???If mistakes were made by both sides, then they should be cancelled; we have already made conclusions,??? Yanukovych said.

The agreement came two days after the European Union, the United States and Moscow urged both sides to avoid force in settling a political crisis that nearly turned violent.

Ukraine??™s biggest opposition party, the bloc lead by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, praised the deal and said the election date would ensure a fair and hinest vote.

???This is a compromise that helped to avert the forced scenario,??? Hryhoriy Nemyria, a senior official at the Tymoshenko group, said. ???It opens new opportunities for Ukraine after the early election.???

Meanwhile, the Communist Party, a junior member of the pro-Russian coalition, denounced the agreement. Communist Party leader Petro Symoneko, a vehemently pro-Russian figure, was not invited to the Saturday talks.

???My assessment of the agreement is that it??™s not only impossible to hold fair and honest election, but it??™s impossible to hold legal election at all,??? Symonenko said.

The Communist Party does not have enough seats in Parliament to block the approval of the key bills that are required for the election, but its criticism may delay the debate, analysts said. (tl/ez)