KIEV, Feb. 4 ??“ Ukraine??™s major political parties seek to prepare amendments to the constitution to resolve the escalating constitutional crisis, but the consensus between the groups may be hard to reach.

President Viktor Yushchenko has been seeking to amend the constitution to strengthen presidential powers that had been eroded by amendments a year ago.

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Sunday called for new amendments that would strengthen parliamentary-presidential system, while the Communist Party, a member of the government coalition, will push for the amendments that cancel the post of the president.

The developments come amid growing tensions between Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who has been pushing hard to reduce the powers of the president.

The government coalition approved the controversial law on the Cabinet of Minister that reduces powers of the president, but Yushchenko had indicated the law was illegitimate. Yushchenko vowed to appeal the law in the constitutional court.

The standoff leads to the constitutional crisis when the prime minister and the president may claim the same powers, such as appointment of foreign and defense ministers.

???This disorder with sharing power will end only when political figures have enough wisdom to approve the new constitution,??? Tymoshenko said in an interview with Inter television.

???In order to find understanding we have to move towards the parliamentary-presidential system,??? Tymoshenko said.

Meanwhile, any successful approval of the amendments requires support from at least 300 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament. This means that cooperation between two biggest groups, Yanukovych??™s Regions Party and the Tymoshenko group, is probably needed, analysts said.

Both groups have already cooperated recently by voting for the controversial law on the Cabinet of Ministers.

Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Kliuyev, a senior member of the Regions Party, on Sunday called on opposition lawmakers to cooperate with the Regions Party to modernize the political system.

???We have to talk, we have to work on a number of legislative acts,??? Kliuyev said in an interview with Liberty Radio.

???Today, the Regions Party is in the government, while the Tymoshenko group is in opposition. It may happen that after next election, the Regions Party will be in opposition and the Tymoshenko bloc in the government. It may happen that there would be a two-party system.??? (jp/ez)