KIEV, March 14 ??“ Former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday declined an offer from Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov to hold live television debates ahead of March 26 general election.

The Regions Party, led by Yanukovych, has been leading in opinion polls since September 2005 and the refusal suggests the party??™s election strategists thought the live debate could hurt Yanukovych.