SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 17, 2001




                        CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                      001-11001              06-0619596
  (State or other jurisdiction          (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
       of incorporation)                File Number)         Identification No.)

                                3 High Ridge Park
                           Stamford, Connecticut 06905
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (203) 614-5600
               Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code



                           No Change Since Last Report
                 ----------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



<PAGE>


Item 5.  Other Events.

     Citizens  Communications  Company  announced today that pending  agreements
     with  Verizon  Communications  to acquire  approximately  63,000  telephone
     access  lines in Arizona and  California  have been  terminated,  effective
     immediately.




Item 7.  Financial Statements, Exhibits

         (c) Exhibits

               99.1  Press Release of Citizens Communications  Company  released
               December 17, 2001.





<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES


                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934,  the  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                            CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY.


Dated: December 18, 2001    By:    /s/Robert J. Larson
                                -------------------------------
                            Name:   Robert J. Larson
                            Title:  Vice President and
                                    Chief Accounting Officer



<PAGE>



                                           Citizens Communications
                                           3 High Ridge Park
                                           Stamford, CT 06905
                                           203.614.5600
                                           Web site: www.czn.net

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Don Armour
Vice President, Finance
(203) 614-5124
DArmour@czn.com



                             Citizens Communications
               Acquisition Agreements with Verizon are Terminated

Stamford,  Conn.,  Dec. 17, 2001-- Citizens  Communications  Company (NYSE: CZN,
CZB) announced  today that pending  agreements  with Verizon  Communications  to
acquire  approximately  63,000  telephone access lines in Arizona and California
have been terminated, effective immediately.

About  Citizens   Communications

Citizens  Communications serves 2.5 million telephone access lines in 24 states.
Citizens owns  approximately  85 percent of Electric  Lightwave,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:
ELIX),  a  facilities-based,  integrated  communications  provider that offers a
broad range of services to telecommunications-intensive  businesses in the West.
More information on Citizens can be found at www.czn.net.

This document contains forward-looking  statements that are subject to risks and
uncertainties  that could cause actual results to differ  materially  from those
expressed or implied in the statements. These and all forward-looking statements
(including oral  representations)  are only predictions or statements of current
plans that are  constantly  under  review by the  company.  All  forward-looking
statements  may differ  from  actual  results  because  of, but not  limited to,
changes in the local and overall economy,  changes in market conditions for debt
and equity securities,  the nature and pace of technological changes, the number
and  effectiveness of competitors in the company's  markets,  success in overall
strategy,  changes in legal or regulatory  policy,  changes in legislation,  the
company's  ability to identify future markets and  successfully  expand existing
ones, the mix of products and services  offered in the company's target markets,
the effects of  acquisitions  and  dispositions  and the ability to  effectively
integrate businesses  acquired.  These important factors should be considered in
evaluating any statement  contained herein and/or made buy the company or on its
behalf.  The  foregoing  information  should  be read in  conjunction  with  the
company's filings with the U.S.  Securities and Exchange  Commission  including,
but not limited to,  reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. The company does not intend
to update or revise these  forward-looking  statements to reflect the occurrence
of future events or circumstances.

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