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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has proposed a bill to grant "special status" to eastern regions in an effort to end Kyiv's conflict with pro-Russian separatists.
Parliament on September 16 confirmed Poroshenko had submitted the bill.
It would give separatist-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions a measure of self-governance for three years and provide for early local elections, expected this year.
A separate bill granting amnesty from criminal prosecution to persons "who took part in the events in Donetsk and Luhansk regions" has also been submitted.
The bills are in keeping with a September 5 deal for a cease-fire steps to to end the conflict, which has killed more than 3,000 people since April.
Luhansk separatist leader Ihor Plotnitskiy said the bills provide "a chance" for a peace settlement but that questions remain. (Interfax and RIA Novosti)
Our Ukrainian Service reports from the standoff outside the Crimean Tatars' assembly, the Mejlis, in Simferopol: