New compromise foreign minister breaks ukraine political deadlock
21 March 2007
Published in Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Ukraine's national legislature, the Verhovna Rada, Wednesday approved a compromise candidate for the Foreign Ministry office, and filled three other critical government posts, potentially ending months of political deadlock.
The parliament approved former banker Arseny Yatseniuk as the new foreign minister with 426 out of 450 votes. It was a rare show of unanimity in the Rada, which since March has been divided into a pro- Russian majority led by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, and a pro- European opposition headed by President Viktor Yushchenko.
Ukraine's national legislature, the Verhovna Rada, Wednesday approved a compromise candidate for the Foreign Ministry office, and filled three other critical government posts, potentially ending months of political deadlock.
The parliament approved former banker Arseny Yatseniuk as the new foreign minister with 426 out of 450 votes. It was a rare show of unanimity in the Rada, which since March has been divided into a pro- Russian majority led by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, and a pro- European opposition headed by President Viktor Yushchenko.
Parliament also appointed as Economics Minister
Anatoly Kinakh, a former prime minister and veteran
public servant with a history of supporting
administrative reform with varying success, and no
clear alliance to either the Yushchenko or the
Yanukovich camps.
Other new appointees included Volodymyr Yatsuba to the Ministry of Developement and Construction, and Oleg Popov to the Ministry of Community Services. Both are long-standing political allies of Yanukovich.
Yatseniuk is a known Yushchenko supporter, and was a senior member of Yushchenko's advisory council until his election as foreign minister. His appointment as the country's top diplomat signaled a tacit truce between Yanukovich and Yushchenko, in an apparent attempt to stabilize the country's tattered foreign policy.
After the Rada dismissed a pro-European foreign minsister appointed by Yushchenko in December, the President and Yanukovich had been been in open conflict over a host of foreign affairs issues. Early this year, for instance, Yushchenko attended a European summit and declared Ukraine's firm intention to integrate with the West, only to have Yanukovich travel abroad a week later to announce Ukraine's natural ally was Russia.
Yanukovich and Yushchenko were unable to resolve their differences quickly, in part, because Ukraine's recentlyamended constitution does not make it clear whether parliament or the president appoint the country's foreign minister.
A successful banker who entered politics in the late 1990s, Yatseniuk has served in administrative posts for both pro-Russia and pro-Europe administrations since 1999. He served as economics minister and chief negotiator for the Ukrainian accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
'Ukrainian foreign policy should be stable, predictable, and based first and foremost on economic relationships,' Yatsenkiuk said during parliamentary questioning prior to the vote.
Yatseniuk's remarks appeared to signal that there would be no major changes in Ukraine's foreign policy. He told MPs: 'You are not going to hear anything earth-shattering from me ... Ukraine must first and foremost defend its national interests.'
He described Ukraine's goal of joining the EU as 'unchanged and inevitable,' but gave no indication as to when that might happen.
Russia 'is a major Ukrainian market ... and we must continue our close contacts with Moscow,' he said.
Other new appointees included Volodymyr Yatsuba to the Ministry of Developement and Construction, and Oleg Popov to the Ministry of Community Services. Both are long-standing political allies of Yanukovich.
Yatseniuk is a known Yushchenko supporter, and was a senior member of Yushchenko's advisory council until his election as foreign minister. His appointment as the country's top diplomat signaled a tacit truce between Yanukovich and Yushchenko, in an apparent attempt to stabilize the country's tattered foreign policy.
After the Rada dismissed a pro-European foreign minsister appointed by Yushchenko in December, the President and Yanukovich had been been in open conflict over a host of foreign affairs issues. Early this year, for instance, Yushchenko attended a European summit and declared Ukraine's firm intention to integrate with the West, only to have Yanukovich travel abroad a week later to announce Ukraine's natural ally was Russia.
Yanukovich and Yushchenko were unable to resolve their differences quickly, in part, because Ukraine's recentlyamended constitution does not make it clear whether parliament or the president appoint the country's foreign minister.
A successful banker who entered politics in the late 1990s, Yatseniuk has served in administrative posts for both pro-Russia and pro-Europe administrations since 1999. He served as economics minister and chief negotiator for the Ukrainian accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
'Ukrainian foreign policy should be stable, predictable, and based first and foremost on economic relationships,' Yatsenkiuk said during parliamentary questioning prior to the vote.
Yatseniuk's remarks appeared to signal that there would be no major changes in Ukraine's foreign policy. He told MPs: 'You are not going to hear anything earth-shattering from me ... Ukraine must first and foremost defend its national interests.'
He described Ukraine's goal of joining the EU as 'unchanged and inevitable,' but gave no indication as to when that might happen.
Russia 'is a major Ukrainian market ... and we must continue our close contacts with Moscow,' he said.