U.S. Supreme Court rejects vote recount

WASHINGTON, DEC. 13. A divided U.S. Supreme Court today appeared to hand the presidency to the Texas Governor, Mr. George W. Bush, in a bitterly disputed ruling that drove a legal stake through the heart of the Vice-President, Mr. Al Gore's hopes of moving into the White House.

In a judgment that seemed to bring a messy, divisive and confusing election to a messy, divisive and confusing end, the nation's highest court voted 7-2 to disallow a Florida Supreme Court ruling that had allowed recounts of disputed votes in the State.

But the margin shrunk to a bare 5-4 in deciding that there was no time for further recounts to be conducted in Florida to remedy the problem before the electoral college meets next Monday to pick the next President.

With the court divided between moderates and conservatives, the four dissenters said the majority had no right to prevent votes being counted.

Although the ruling was confusing, Mr. Bush's aides appeared to conclude that their man would become the next President. ``An initial reading indicates this is a victory for us.''

The Vice-President, Mr. Al Gore, who earlier was unwilling to concede defeat later appeared to be considering to admit defeat. He asked officials running the effort to recount votes in Florida to suspend their activities and was preparing to address the nation on television. Sources said he would tell the people that he was ending his campaign without specifically conceding defeat, after an election in which he gained more votes than Mr. Bush.

Some of Mr. Gore's aides were encouraging him to go back to the Florida high court and fight for the principle of a recount but overall the Gore camp was reportedly resigned to the idea that there was no way he could win the election.

Mr. Gore's television address would allow Mr. Bush to assume the title of President-elect. In Austin, Texas, reporters asked a smiling Mr. Bush if the nation would hear from him. He said ``I hope so. We'll see.'' Aides said he would not speak until Mr. Gore had done so.

The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, away in Northern Ireland, spoke on the phone to Mr. Gore. Details were not available.

House approves Bush electors

Meanwhile, Florida's Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a plan to deliver the State's 25 electoral college votes to Mr. Bush.

Yesterday resolution naming a slate of Bush delegates to the electoral college passed 79-41 with two north Florida Democrats joining the Republicans' 77-member majority.

The proposal now goes to the Florida Senate, which was expected to approve it.

- Reuters

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