[Siegmund]

Ukraine braces for new coalition
Last Updated: Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 10:50 GMT

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has begun separate coalition talks with political rivals who beat him into third place in the general election.

He may try to reunite with his former Orange Revolution ally Yulia Tymoshenko to thwart the pro-Russia party leading with two-thirds of the votes counted.

The party of Viktor Yanukovych has just under 30% - a strong comeback following his presidential election defeat.

Many voters turned against the Orange Revolution which defeated him in 2004.

President Yushchenko's liberal Our Ukraine party is trailing in third place with 15%.

Mr Yushchenko is expected to spend Tuesday in negotiations with Mr Yanukovych and Ms Tymoshenko, whom he sacked as prime minister last September.

Ms Tymoshenko's bloc is in second place, with 22.4%. Final results are expected later on Tuesday.

Mr Yushchenko said the talks would focus on "a joint action plan that would ensure stable national development for the next four years".

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