Italy asks Ukraine for Tymoshenko visit

Italy has asked Ukraine for permission to visit jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in hospital in eastern Ukraine, a foreign ministry spokesman said Friday. Italy's ambassador in Kiev has asked local authorities for a meeting between Foreign Undersecretary Marta Dassu' and the ex-premier, who ended a hunger strike after being moved from jail in the eastern Ukraine city of Kharkiv to hospital Wednesday for treatment on back pains. The Ukrainian ambassador in Rome was called to the foreign ministry earlier this week to voice Italy's concern over human rights in Ukraine, especially in the Tymoshenko case, the foreign ministry spokesman said. Tymoshenko, who was jailed in October for alleged abuse of office in a trial that Western countries have slammed as unfair, says she is the victim of a political vendetta by President Viktor Yanukovich, who has become increasingly isolated over his refusal to let her seek treatment abroad. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite asked to visit Tymoshenko Thursday, the first foreign leader to do so since she was jailed.