KIEV, Feb. 27 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday defended the right of Poland and the Czech Republic to host U.S. anti-missile radars and interceptors on their territories for ensuring greater security in the region.

Yushchenko??™s stance defers greatly with the position of pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who has repeatedly said that his government had been ???concerned??? with the project.

???The issue of hosting the elements of the anti-missile defense system is a sovereign right of any country,??? Yushchenko said. ???That??™s why Ukrainian [officials] must not be so easily making comments on this issue.???

The developments underscore sharp divide within Ukraine over foreign policy with the president pursuing a pro-Western course and the prime minister promoting a pro-Russian one.

Yanukovych pledged to slow down Ukraine??™s accession to NATO and forced pro-Western Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk to resign a month ago. Yanukovych also refused to accept Volodymyr Ohryzko, a pro-Western diplomat, as the new foreign minister.

Ukraine??™s reaction to the stationing of the anti-missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic is important for the country??™s future relations with the U.S. and the European Union.

The U.S. plans to put anti-missile radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptors - special missiles designed to destroy hostile missiles - in Poland. Both countries indicated they would probably agree to station the system.

The U.S. said the system had been designed to protect the U.S. and its allies in Europe against any hostile missile attack by such countries such as Iran and North Korea.

Although 10 interceptors would apparently not pose a problem for Russia??™s 3,500 ballistic missiles, Moscow has harshly criticized the project. A Russian general even threatened to have Poland and the Czech Republic as targets as a result, underlining deterioration in relations between Russia and the West.

Yanukovych, who has been increasingly positioning himself as a Russian ally, has quickly followed in Russia??™s footsteps by declaring that Ukraine has been also concerned with the anti-missile defense system. He never spelled out any specific concerns.

Yushchenko??™s tough reaction shows that the president has been determined to regain his leadership in shaping and defining Ukraine??™s foreign policy.

Yushchenko said the anti-missile was a system of defense, not an offensive weapon, and it has been developed jointly by U.S. and European allies to ensure ???collective security.???

Yushchenko also reminded Yanukovych that his Regions Party back in 2004 had voted overwhelmingly to support a policy for Ukraine??™s accession to NATO, suggesting Ukraine should now support collective security efforts.

???We have to remember about our national interests, about our collective obligations,??? Yushchenko said. (tl/ez)