KIEV, May 31 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych – contrary to their earlier assurances – have made significant progress in talks over constitutional amendments, Ukrayinska Pravda reported Saturday, citing sources.

The amendments, which are opposed by President Viktor Yushchenko, seek to allow election of the next president in Parliament, scrapping a popular vote, and would de-facto establish a two-party system by cutting off smaller parties from the legislature.

Yanukovych had a secret meeting with Tymoshenko on Thursday, hours after he had announced the talks had been suspended, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

The two had another secret meeting on Saturday, making major progress in the talks that open door for Yanukovych and Tymoshenko to create a grand coalition that would re-shape Ukraine’s political landscape.

The Regions Party and the Tymoshenko group declined to comment on the report over the weekend.

But other political figures, such as Viacheslav Kyrylenko, a former leader of Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine group in Parliament, said that many lawmakers expected Tymoshenko and Yanukovych to move quickly on the amendments.

“I think that during the week we will see a massive artillery shelling aimed at amending the constitution and creating the grand coalition,” Kyrylenko said in comments aired by Studio 1+1 on Sunday.

The emergence of the Tymoshenko-Yanukovych alliance is thought to be strongly supported by the Kremlin as it would probably postpone indefinitely Ukraine’s accession to NATO, analysts said.

It may also help Moscow to keep its Black Sea naval fleet in Sevastopol after 2017, when the term of stationing is due to expire, analysts said,

Both issues are seen by Yushchenko as serious challenges to Ukraine’s national security, suggesting that he may take dramatic steps to avert the alliance.

The development opens the possibility for a major escalation of tensions between the president and Parliament that could lead to a constitutional crisis and perhaps street protests in Ukraine.

Yushchenko said last week that he would call a referendum if Tymoshenko and Yanukovych move to amend the constitution without relying on broad political support for the amendments.

Ukrainian voters have been strongly opposing the idea of electing the president in Parliament, suggesting an attempt to do so may backfire against Yanukovych and Tymoshenko.

At least 80.6% of people strongly oppose the idea, while only 6.1% support it, according to an opinion poll by Sofia, a polling agency working with the Yanukovych team, released last week.

The election of the next president in Parliament would be a major setback for Arseniy Yatseniuk, 35, a popular former parliamentary speaker, whose popularity has been growing sharply over the past four months.

Yanukovych is currently the frontrunner among other candidates with 24.8% support, according to Sofia.

Tymoshenko trails behind with 16.6% support, followed by 14.7% support for Yatseniuk, according to Sofia. Since Yatseniuk does not have any strong support in the current Parliament, his chances of winning the presidency in Parliament are close to zero.

“The talks, which I call constitutional collusion for keeping and h the holding the power, are going very active,” Yatseniuk said on Friday. “It’s clear that neither Yanukovych nor Tymoshenko want to go for election because they are not confident in the outcome.”

“And, that’s right. It is very to forecast the outcome of the presidential campaign, especially for them,” Yatseniuk said. “It’s easier for me.”

Yatseniuk warned that the attempt to amend the constitution would trigger a massive people’s response.

“First, no one will let anybody take from the Ukrainian people the right to elect the president,” Yatseniuk said. “Second, if this decision is taken [by Tymoshenko and Yanukovych] a powerful opposition will emerge in Ukraine.” (tl/ez)