Our Ukraine Suspends Talks With Tymoshenko

From left to right: Yuliya Tymoshenko (Opposition Bloc of Tymoshenko), Yuriy Yekhanurov (Our Ukraine), Oleksandr Moroz (Socialist Party), Adam Martynyuk (Communist Party deputy), and Viktor Yanukovich in Kyiv on April 11 (epa) May 16, 2006 -- The pro-presidential Our Ukraine party has suspended coalition talks with the party of former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko amid continuing disputes over who would get the top job in a new Ukrainian government.

Roman Zvarych, a senior Our Ukraine official, said the party decided to suspend the talks following Tymoshenko's latest statement that her party should get the post of prime minister and the Socialist party that of parliamentary speaker.

He said Our Ukraine will not accept "ultimatums."

Tymoshenko's party accused Our Ukraine of looking for reasons to drag out the talks.

The three parties were allies during Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution but later fell out amid mutual accusations.

They said they were committed to working together again after the March 26 parliamentary elections, in which no party gained a majority.

The new parliament is to hold its first session on May 25.

(Interfax Ukraine, UNIAN, AP)