Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych said on Thursday that he respected the Supreme Court verdict against his appeal, but vowed to continue his opposition to president-elect Viktor Yushchenko.

In a speech on state television, Yanukovych also called on his supporters to tear down protest tent camps they had set up in several cities, saying his team would file charges against the verdict in the International Court of Justice.

"The verdict had put an end to the presidential run-off... Let us dismantle our tent cities and begin a new political struggle that requires a different type of bravery and tenacity," he said.

"We have made every effort to restore justice, but violence prevailed," he added. "This is not a failure. I will not quit politics."

Yanukovych said he believed that his team would win the parliament election in March next year and form a new government trusted by the Ukrainian people.

Yanukovych won a disputed presidential run-off on Nov. 21, 2004, triggering weeks of protests by rival Yushchenko's supporters. The Supreme Court later annulled the election results and ruled for a re-vote of the run-off on Dec. 26.

On Jan. 10, Ukraine's Central Election Commission formally declared Yushchenko the winner of the presidential election with 51.99 percent of the vote.

The Supreme Court rejected a Yanukovych appeal and allowed the results to be officially published on Thursday. Yushchenko will be inaugurated on Sunday.