Yanukovych and Tarasyuk spar over PM's visit to U.S. (12/03/06)

Yanukovych and Tarasyuk spar over PM's visit to U.S.

RFE/RL Newsline

KYIV - Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych clashed with Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk during a televised meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on November 29 over Mr. Yanukovych's upcoming official visit to Washington, Ukrainian and international news agencies reported.

Mr. Yanukovych read out a letter from the Foreign Affairs Ministry informing him that his trip to Washington, scheduled for December 3-7, had been postponed indefinitely because he failed to seek presidential approval for a directive setting down guidelines for the U.S. talks.

Mr. Yanukovych then demonstratively signed the directive he distributed among Cabinet ministers earlier the same day and ordered that it be sent to the Presidential Secretariat.

Later on November 29, the Presidential Secretariat announced that President Viktor Yushchenko had approved Mr. Yanukovych's directive and that Yanukovych's U.S. trip will take place as originally planned.

Turning to Mr. Tarasyuk, Prime Minister Yanukovych said: "Regarding you, Borys Ivanovych, we have unfortunately failed to find an understanding how to work together over these three months. Therefore, today I'm going to sign an appropriate letter with my opinion about your further work and send it to Parliament."

"Esteemed Viktor Fedorovych, you have already sent such a letter to the president. And you know the president's answer regarding my person," Mr. Tarasyuk responded.

Earlier in November, Prime Minister Yanukovych said he does not want Mr. Tarasyuk in his Cabinet. Foreign Affairs Minister Tarasyuk, like Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko, was appointed to his Cabinet post directly by President Yushchenko.

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