Speaking to his supporters following a meeting with the president, Viktor Yanukovych said: "Let us finally do what we have agreed to do with President [Viktor] Yushchenko today, i.e. resolve all differences quickly starting from next week."
"We are waiting for a Constitutional Court ruling, which will dot all the 'i's. The Constitutional Court alone ... will give an answer to the question whether the presidential decree was legitimate or not," Yanukovych said.
He also said once a political compromise was found, the parties in the conflict would sign a peace deal.
The Constitutional Court is examining the April 2 presidential ruling to disband parliament and call early elections, which sparked off a new crisis, and is due to make a decision by April 27.
Yushchenko said earlier Friday he could suspend his decree, triggered by the defection of 11 pro-presidential lawmakers to the premier's parliamentary majority in March and designed to prevent Yanukovych from "usurping power," but put forward a number of demands.
He demanded a law to prevent lawmakers from switching factions after elections, a revision of the law on the Cabinet and opposition, changes to election legislation and amendments to the Constitution, which should be put forward for a referendum.
"I can assure you that I could agree to suspend my decree," Yushchenko said. "A package of political compromise should be put together as soon as possible, which includes taking all necessary steps at the legislative level to prevent a parliamentary majority [similar to what we had] in March."
But Yushchenko said early elections remained the key to resolving the political standoff. Originally, he slated polls for May 27, but later said they could be postponed until a later date.
Thousands of Yanukovych's backers waving his party's blue flags were protesting in Kiev's Independence Square Friday against the dissolution of parliament and early elections.
Opposition supporters clad in orange also gathered in the central capital to press for the polls, bringing back memories of the "orange revolution" in 2004, when Yushchenko defeated Yanukovych in a rerun after an allegedly rigged presidential race.
