France's Hollande hails Ukraine's peace deal

French President Francois Hollande on Friday welcomed the peace deal signed between Ukraine's opposition and the president with the aim to end bloodshed and open the way for an early presidential election. "After the unacceptable, unbearable and unjustifiable violence which have devastated Ukraine in recent days, the President of the Republic calls for implementation as soon as possible of the entire agreement...," the French president's office said. Hollande reiterated support of Paris to help in ending Ukrainian crisis and "promote democratic reforms and the modernization of Ukraine." Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders signed an EU-mediated peace deal including constitutional change under which parliament had greater control over the make-up of the government and reduce the president's powers as well as holding an early presidential election this year. During the latest wave of clashes in Kiev between demonstrators and police, dozens of people have been killed in the almost three-month-long political standoff, which began last November as demonstrations calling for the country's European integration.