KIEV, Nov. 15 ??“ Following a stern warning from President Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-government coalition on Wednesday postponed for two weeks its decision on whether to dismiss pro-Western foreign and defense ministers.

The coalition summoned up Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk and Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko, the two pro-NATO figures, to declare that both have been doing poor job.

But the coalition fell short of approving a resolution that would dismiss the ministers apparently amid fears the move would trigger a clash with Yushchenko, who vehemently supports them.

The coalition, which has been pursuing a pro-Russian policy, was expected to sack both ministers. But Yushchenko two days ago warned the dismissals would deal a blow to cooperation between the president and the government.

???Of course, one can talk about certain political interaction between the president and [pro-government coalition-led] Parliament,??? Roman Zvarych, Yushchenko??™s representative in Parliament, said.

Yushchenko??™s warning suggested that he had been threatening to use his power of veto on the government-drafted legislation, including the draft 2007 budget, which would be a major setback for the government, analysts said.

Parliament??™s decision to postpone the vote on Tarasiuk and Hrytsenko is a tactical victory for Yushchenko, who has been recently losing some ground in struggle with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych over constitutional powers.

Tarasiuk and Hrytsenko were nominated by Yushchenko and both have been pushing hard for Ukraine??™s speedy accession to NATO. This pro-NATO course has seriously irritated Russia, Ukraine??™s only supplier of natural gas, which sees NATO as a military threat.

???Tarasiuk led to a number of provocative actions that had complicated talks on some of the most vital issues for Ukraine, such as supplies of energy,??? Taras Chornovil, a pro-government lawmaker, said.

Tarasiuk defended the pro-Western foreign policy and cited a law, approved back during the era of former President Leonid Kuchma, which had stated that joining NATO is Ukraine??™s priority.

The pro-government coalition, which controls 246 lawmakers in 450-seat Parliament, cannot change the law as any amendments would immediately be vetoed by Yushchenko. The coalition falls short of 300-seat majority needed to override the veto.

???The Foreign Ministry works according to Ukrainian law,??? Tarasiuk said. ???The law clearly states that joining NATO is one of Ukraine??™s foreign policy priorities.???

Still, analysts said that Tarasiuk is too much of an irritant for Russia, which will probably keep pressure on Yanukovych to replace the pro-NATO minister as a condition against steep hike in prices of natural gas, analysts said.

???Speaking of Tarasiuk, his poor understanding of diplomatic service and interests of the state raises question about his dismissal,??? Chornovil said. ???Now, this is just the matter of time.??? (tl/ez)