Following the resignation of Borys Tarasyuk on January 30, the cabinet endorsed First Deputy Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko as acting foreign minister.
An ally of the pro-Western Yushchenko, Tarasyuk had been locked in a political battle with pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.
Late last year, Yanukovych won parliament's approval to dismiss Tarasyuk, but Yushchenko kept him in his post.
As a first deputy foreign minister, Ohryzko has been a lead negotiator with Moscow on the issue of the stationing of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.
Ohryzko is an associate of Tarasyuk, and it is berlieved he will continue a pro-Western policy.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Posted February 5th, 2007 by Dinka
