KIEV, April 7 ??“ Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov, the leader of Our Ukraine, on Friday rejected an ultimatum from two potential coalition partners that had been seeking nomination of Yulia Tymoshenko as the next prime minister.

Tymoshenko, whose party performed strongly at the March 26 election, urged President Viktor Yushchenko Thursday to accept a memorandum opening way for her to get the job. She threatened to quit coalition talks unless the demand, also backed by Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz, is met.

But Yekhanurov, who was asked by Yushchenko to handle negotiations over the coalition, rejected the pressure and said the potential partners would first have to agree on key policy decisions.

???The talks will realistically not begin until the ultimatums stop,??? Yekhanurov told reporters on Friday. ???The language of ultimatums will not give anything.???

The comments suggest there will probably be little progress made in talks between Yekhanurov on the one hand, and Tymoshenko and Moroz, on the other hand, that are expected on Monday.

???We have to find out whether they want to talk to us at all,??? Yekhanurov said. ???Or, they will [again] issue an ultimatum and say they will not sign anything.???

The developments underscore a serious split between groups that have helped Yushchenko to win the presidency at the dramatic presidential election in 2004.

Yushchenko is cautious about nominating Tymoshenko as the next prime minister after her heavily populist and chaotic policies have contributed to a major economic slowdown last year. Yushchenko was forced to sack Tymoshenko from the post of the prime minister in September 2005 due to corruption scandal.

In order to hedge the country from any possible policy split in the future government, Yushchenko suggested that parties will have to agree on key policy issues and come up with a roadmap of reforms that would ensure their implementation.

In particular, Our Ukraine would seek to check on vision of Ukraine??™s main foreign and domestic policies, including integration with the European Union, NATO, the World Trade Organization, privatization and re-privatization, amendments to the constitution and budget.

???We have to lay a railroad for the country to move forward so that no one is able to deviate from it,??? Yekhanurov said.

???Without outlining positions in these principle issues we cannot talk about any other things,??? Yekhanurov said. ???Without this the coalition may fail to create.???

Our Ukraine??™s position will probably further irritate the Tymoshenko bloc, which has already warned it will go in opposition to Yushchenko unless the coalition is formed by Wednesday.

The developments may elevate prominence of talks between Our Ukraine and the Regions Party, a moderate group led by former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych that will have the most of seats in the future Parliament.

???We are holding talks with them [to find out] on what terms are they ready to drop their heavy opposition to the president, how they view the development of the country, which issues must be tackled,??? Yekhanurov said.

???I understand that a dialog is possible with them. These people are quite normally reacting to proposals,??? Yekhanurov said. (tl/ez)