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GISMETEO.RU
UJ Week
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Nation    

NBU official nominated foreign minister
Journal Staff Report

KIEV, Oct. 7 – President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday nominated Petro Poroshenko, a pro-Western figure and once his closest ally, as Ukraine’s new foreign minister, according to papers submitted to Parliament.

This replaces the previous nomination of Oleh Shamshur, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, which Yushchenko made on March 17. Parliament never considered the Shamshur nomination.

Poroshenko, who now heads the National Bank of Ukraine’s Council, a strategic policy body, is thought to have more political support for the appointment, analysts said.

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has recently underscored her support for Poroshenko, who owns Channel 5 television news network and owns other interests, including in shipbuilding and automobile manufacturing, and confectionaries.

Poroshenko is thought to also enjoy moderate support from some members of the opposition Regions Party.

The nomination suggests that Yushchenko seeks to secure Ukraine’s pro-Western course even in the case that Tymoshenko is elected the next president on January 17, 2010.

Tymoshenko will probably compete with Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych for the presidency, while Yushchenko’s one-digit rating makes it very difficult to secure reelection of the incumbent.

The post of the foreign minister is vacant since March 3, when Tymoshenko’s group has joined forces with the pro-Russian opposition Regions Party to dismiss Volodymyr Ohryzko, an advocate for Ukraine’s quick accession to NATO.

The Tymoshenko-led coalition controls 213 seats in the 450-seat Parliament and support from other lawmakers is required to appoint Poroshenko. Yushchenko is thought to control 17 lawmakers.

Poroshenko, who is now thought to be an ally of Tymoshenko, has a history of uneasy relations with her.

Shortly after his inauguration as the president in January 2005, Yushchenko has considered between Poroshenko and Tymoshenko for the nomination to the post of the prime minister.

He eventually picked Tymoshenko, but had immediately appointed Poroshenko, his then closest ally, as the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, the top security body under the president.

Tymoshenko has frequently clashed with Poroshenko, alleging his involvement in corruption and other wrongdoing, eventually leading to her dismissal and the reshuffle of the government in September 2005.

The allegations had never materialized as Poroshenko went to court to defend his reputation.

Although Yushchenko distanced himself from Poroshenko since early 2006, he still had managed to secure support from both, pro-government and opposition groups, to secure the post at the National Bank of Ukraine’s Council.

Relations between Tymoshenko and Poroshenko improved significantly over the past two years as the prime minister has been seeking support from television channels ahead of the next presidential election. (tl/ez)




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