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Ukraine's Orange Parties Restart Talks
June 16, 2006 -- Ukraine's former Orange Revolution allies have resumed talks on forming a governing coalition, in hopes of breaking a political stalemate since inconclusive parliamentary elections in March.
President Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc, the Socialist Party, and the bloc of former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko have been unable to agree on a coalition.
The pro-Russian Party of the Regions was the biggest vote winner in the elections. But the three Orange parties would control a simple parliamentary majority if they can join together.
Tymoshenko said today that her party has rejected a proposal by Our Ukraine to join a broad coalition -- including the Party of the Regions. Our Ukraine has denied making such a proposal.
Our Ukraine has said it was holding preliminary talks with the Party of the Regions. But Yushchenko said on June 15 that he will continue to support an Orange coalition, provided the three parties reach an agreement.
(Interfax-Ukraine, UNIAN)
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
