The Ukraine Prime Minister's party blocks a parliamentary resolution 
condemning Russia's actions in Georgia, so this story says.


(and next week the Russian FM visits Poland)  




http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7595667.stm


Ukraine in snap election warning

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko

Mr Yushchenko said he would call a poll unless a new coalition was formed

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has threatened to dissolve 
parliament and call elections after the collapse of the country's ruling 
coalition.

Mr Yushchenko's supporters walked out in protest on Tuesday night 
following new laws to trim presidential powers.

The laws were introduced by the opposition and backed by Prime Minister 
Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc.

Former allies, the prime minister and president are now at odds despite 
sharing pro-Western political goals.

All but one of 12 ministers from Mr Yushchenko's party boycotted 
Wednesday's cabinet meeting.

"A political and constitutional coup d'etat has started in the 
parliament," Mr Yushchenko said in a televised speech.

"I will use my right to dissolve parliament and decree early elections if 
a new coalition is not formed within 30 days," he said.

'Work continues'

Under Ukrainian law, parliament has 30 days to form a new coalition after 
one is dissolved, and another month to put together a cabinet. Until 
then, the previous government continues its work.

Analysts said that with the current coalition still legally in force, Mr 
Yushchenko had no formal authority to push for a new alliance.

	
Ms Tymoshenko blamed her rival for the chaos, vowing that the Ukrainian 
cabinet would continue its work despite the break-up of the coalition.

"Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko declares that there is no alternative to the 
democratic coalition," her party said on its website.

In a televised address, Ms Tymoshenko said: "I am sorry that the 
president behaves irresponsibly. The coalition was destroyed under his 
instruction."

"I am convinced that the work of the democratic coalition will be 
renewed. You have 10 days... to return to the democratic coalition," she 
added.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, in Kiev, says the coalition has been weak 
since it was formed and has been teetering on the brink of collapse for 
some time.

This move is seen by many as the first shots in a presidential campaign 
in which Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko are both candidates, our 
correspondent says.

Polls have shown that Ms Tymoshenko would win a presidential election, 
with Yushchenko coming last. In a parliamentary election, she would 
increase her seats, while Mr Yushchenko's Our Ukraine party would lose 
some.

If parliamentary elections are called, they would be the third in as many 
years since the 2004 "Orange Revolution", which swept Mr Yushchenko to 
power.

Western integration

He campaigned on a ticket of greater Western integration including 
joining Nato and the European Union.

The BBC's regional analyst Steven Eke says Mr Yushchenko's popularity is 
at rock bottom at the moment with opinion polls giving him single-digit 
levels of support.

The crisis follows mounting tension between the president and prime 
minister with Mr Yushchenko accusing Ms Tymoshenko of treason for 
allegedly siding with Moscow over the conflict in Georgia.

Mr Yushchenko has been a vociferous supporter of Georgia during the 
conflict but the prime minister's party on Tuesday blocked a 
parliamentary resolution condemning Moscow.

The flare-up comes a day before a planned visit to the country by US 
Vice-President Dick Cheney.

The trip is part of a tour of former Soviet states which the US sees as 
key allies.