KIEV, April 15 ??“ Talks over the ruling coalition suffered a setback on Friday when Our Ukraine, a key coalition partner, rejected a clause allowing Yulia Tymoshenko to secure the post of the prime minister.

The move by Our Ukraine??™s top decision making body may further delay or even undermine the coalition between three pro-Western groups, including the Tymoshenko bloc and the Socialist Party.

It also underscores a significant level of opposition within Our Ukraine towards accepting Tymoshenko as the prime minister, which echoes a major split between the two groups last year.

The move came a day after Our Ukraine, the Tymoshenko group and the Socialists had signed an accord that had outlined the way the coalition will be created. The accord contained the clause allowing Tymoshenko to claim the post of the prime minister.

Tymoshenko, angered by the development, lashed out at Our Ukraine on Friday, warning it may actually undermine the coalition.

???We believe this is in fact a denunciation, torpedoing of the accord and undermining of the signed agreements,??? Tymoshenko said. She urged Our Ukraine??™s political body to vote again to approve the entire accord.

Tymoshenko also urged President Viktor Yushchenko to step in to help create the coalition.

But Yushchenko said Saturday the coalition had been making steady progress and insisted the coalition partners should first agree on major policy steps before discussing any personnel appointments in the future government.

???The talks are proceeding in their own way, normal way,??? Yushchenko said. ???I ask everybody to calm down. The time will come and all these decisions will be approved.???

Yushchenko also criticized the disputed clause.

???When I learned about the clause??¦ it goes beyond principles and even gets somewhat personal,??? Yushchenko said. ???The coalition is being created not for appointing somebody, but for achieving something.???

Yushchenko urged the coalition partners to continue to develop an agreement on key policy steps that would be implemented by the future government before starting discussions on who would get what post.

???The next point is to form a political agreement that would give answers to most difficult challenges,??? Yushchenko said.

The coalition between Our Ukraine, the Tymoshenko group and the Socialist Party would control 243 seats in 450-seat Parliament, a simple majority that would allow them to appoint the next government and key posts in Parliament. (tl/ez)