KIEV, Dec. 1 ??“ Parliament on Friday voted to dismiss the foreign and internal affairs ministers, allies of pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko, in a move that may further escalate political confrontation in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk and Internal Affairs Minister Yuriy Lutsenko were sacked despite repeated warnings from Yushchenko that their dismissals would significantly worsen cooperation between the president and the government.

Vasyl Tsushko, the leader of the Socialist group in Parliament and an ally of Parliament Speaker Oleksandr Moroz, was Friday approved as the new Internal Affairs Minister.

Parliament delayed no-confidence vote against Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko, the last remaining backer of Yushchenko??™s pro-Western policy in the government, but lawmakers said the action will be taken soon.

???Hrytsenko will be the next,??? a senior member of the pro-government coalition, said.

The development puts tensions between Yushchenko and the government to a new level that may directly affect the country??™s foreign and domestic policies.

Parliament previously approved resignations of six Yushchenko??™s loyalists from the government, but this is the first time that a no-confidence motion has been used to remove the ministers backed by Yushchenko.

The sacking of Tarasiuk, an active backer of Ukraine??™s quick accession to NATO and for closer cooperation with the European Union, Yushchenko??™s foreign policy priorities, will probably please Russia, analysts said.

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was in Moscow for consolations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, a day before the coalition had voted to sack Tarasiuk.

Viktor Baloha, Yushchenko??™s chief of staff, warned the vote may worsen relations between the president and the government. He said that Yushchenko had been considering steps that will be taken to deal with the situation.

Analysts said that Yushchenko had several options of how to deal with the situation, including contesting the controversial vote, re-nominating Tarasiuk and nominating a new, more balanced figure that could be accepted by the coalition.

Nominating Oleksandr Chaliy, an experienced diplomat and a deputy chief of staff at the presidential office, would probably be aimed at easing tensions between the president and the coalition, analysts said.

Chaliy is known for his moderate pro-Western policy. ???I am sure this would be a good nomination that would get support from the coalition,??? Andriy Yermolayev, the head of Sofia, a Kiev-based political research firm, said.

Re-nominating Tarasiuk would probably trigger a greater confrontation. ???This would be a political war,??? Yermolayev said. (tl/ez)