Outgoing Ukraine president calls for unity

KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has called on his country to support the incoming president, the Voice of America reported Saturday.

Kuchma made the appeal in his last televised address to the nation Friday. He said the New Year brings a new president for Ukraine, and that president will need the support of all Ukrainians.

Kuchma gave thanks that the election controversy had ended peacefully.

While Viktor Yanukovych continues to lodge a legal battle against the election's result, the final preliminary results give Viktor Yushchenko the win, with a margin of more than 10 percentage points.