Yushchenko promises Ukraine on 'Western' path

KIEV - President Viktor Yushchenko told Washington he would keep Ukraine on a pro-Western reform path as he began planning for a powerful election challenge next year from his charismatic ex-prime minister.

Yushchenko worked on Sunday to muster support among key parliamentary players for Yury Yekhanurov -- the liberal economist he has tapped to replace Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister until parliamentary elections next March.

Yushchenko sacked Tymoshenko's government on Thursday amid infighting and graft allegations. But that turned the electrifying speaker, who brought tens of thousands onto the streets in his support in December's "Orange Revolution", into a dangerous political rival.

Tymoshenko, complaining she had fallen victim to intrigue among corrupt aides around the president, declared on Friday she and her bloc would compete against the Yushchenko camp in March.

"The Yulia Tymoshenko team ... will have many trump cards for winning a parliamentary campaign," said analyst Maksim Strikha in a commentary on a media website www.telekritika.kiev.ua.

Ahead of a trip to the United States, Yushchenko told Washington -- a big backer of his revolution, which turned the tide against a pro-Moscow leadership -- that he would keep Ukraine on a pro-Western course.

"The changes are aimed at strengthening democracy and building efficient government and will in no way change Ukraine's strategic course -- integration into Euroatlantic structures and a strategic partnership with the United States," his press service said he told US President George W Bush by telephone.

In the short-term, Yushchenko needs to stabilise an export-led economy which has been hit by deteriorating world markets and rising inflation.

- REUTERS