KIEV, June 5 - Jean Lemierre, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, accepted a bet from Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov over the forecast for Ukraine??™s economic growth in 2006.

Yekhanurov suggested making the bet after Lemierre, citing a forecast from EBRD economists last month, said Ukraine??™s economy was not likely to expand more than 1.2% on the year.