Ukraine PM resigns as govt offers more concessions

Other key issues remain unresolved in Ukraine's political crisis, including the opposition's repeated demands for Yanukovych to resign and for a new election to be held.

Azarov's resignation came just before the opening of a special parliament session that repealed anti-protest laws that had set off violent clashes between protesters and police.

Yanukovych earlier this month had pushed through new laws to crack down on protests and raise prison sentences for creating disorder.

The laws also prohibited people from wearing helmets and gas masks, which many have done for fear that riot police would try to violently disperse protests.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, a lawmaker who is one of the opposition's top figures, hailed the parliament's move.

“We have repealed all the laws against which the whole country rose up,” he said.

Yanukovych over the weekend had offered the premiership to Yatsenyuk, but the opposition leader refused the post.

Parliament will consider an amnesty measure Wednesday for scores of arrested protesters.

But Yanukovych has said the amnesty is only possible if demonstrators clear the streets and vacate the buildings they now occupy—a condition that is probably unacceptable to many.