KIEV, Nov. 29 ??“ Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday cleared with President Viktor Yushchenko agenda for the upcoming visit to Washington at the last minute avoiding a scenario that could postpone the visit indefinitely.

The development is an important victory for Yushchenko that de-facto confirms the president??™s supremacy in defining the country??™s foreign policy, an issue that has been persistently challenged by Yanukovych.

Yanukovych, a pro-Russian figure, is expected to visit Washington between Dec. 3 and Dec. 6. He has been refusing for more than two weeks to clear the agenda with Yushchenko, a pro-Western leader.

But things changed after Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk, Yushchenko??™s loyalist and a key backer of the pro-Western policy, on Tuesday filed a note to the U.S. Embassy asking to reschedule the Yanukovych visit.

???Today the agenda was passed on to the presidential office,??? Oleksandr Chaliy, Yushchenko??™s deputy chief of staff, said Wednesday. ???The president approved instructions for the visit.???

Yushchenko has been demanding Yanukovych to submit the agenda to prevent any unauthorized declarations, such as announcing delays in the accession to NATO.

Yanukovych sent shockwaves in September during his visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels, when he had declared that Ukraine would postpone indefinitely its accession to the alliance.

Joining NATO is Yushchenko??™s foreign policy priority, but Yanukovych, under pressure from Russia, which views the alliance as the military threat, moved to postpone the accession. Two months later Russia agreed to sell gas to Ukraine in 2007 at half the market price.

In Washington Yanukovych is expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other U.S. government officials. Ukraine??™s accession to NATO is expected to dominate the talks, analysts said.

The fact that Yanukovych finally cleared a foreign trip agenda with Yushchenko sets an important precedent that de-facto gives the president the power to veto any unauthorized foreign policy declarations from the prime minister.

???There are no reasons to believe the prime minister will not implement the instructions from the president,??? Chaliy said. ???The problem is over now.???

???The president exercises control over foreign policy,??? Chaliy said. ???Such practice will continue in the future.??? (tl/ez)