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END NOTE: WITH PARLIAMENT DIVIDED, UKRAINE ON BRINK OF CHAOS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOWS TO COUNTER ANARCHY AND CHAOS. President Viktor Yushchenko said in a July 15 address to the Verkhovna Rada that he will not allow anarchy, chaos, nor a national split in Ukraine, Interfax reported. "I am aware that there are political forces that would prefer a radical turn in the situation and are interested in confrontation for the sole aim of gaining absolute power," Yushchenko said, adding he hopes the political forces in the parliament will reach consensus before July 25, when he will have the authority to dissolve the parliament. Yushchenko described the possibility of a dissolution of parliament and early parliamentary elections as "a costly luxury for Ukraine." AM

UKRAINIAN PREMIER COMES OUT AGAINST POSSIBLE PARLIAMENT DISSOLUTION. Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov, who is a key Our Ukraine official, has said that dissolving parliament will not settle the political crisis in Ukraine, Interfax reported on July 14. "I have always been for a broad coalition involving political forces that support President Yushchenko's program," Yekhanurov said, adding that some politicians' ambitions have prevented the creation of such a coalition. "Instead of assuming solidarity...some politicians started the process of confrontation," he said. AM

ANTI-CRISIS COALITION SAYS IT WILL BACK UKRAINE'S EUROPEAN ASPIRATIONS. The "anti-crisis" coalition created by the Party of Regions, the Socialist Party, and the Communist Party announced on July 14 that its main goals are Ukraine's full membership in the EU and the completion of the Single Economic Space, Interfax reported, citing the coalition agreement. The agreement reads that joining NATO would only come following a nationwide referendum. The agreement also provides for mandatory consultations with the Ukrainian president on nominations of key posts in the government. AM

WITH PARLIAMENT DIVIDED, UKRAINE ON BRINK OF CHAOS

With parliament hopelessly divided into the pro-Russian Party of Regions, aligned with the Socialists against the West-leaning Our Ukraine and the Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc, there are no signs of a viable government on the horizon.

President Viktor Yushchenko is threatening to call new parliamentary elections as he invokes what he called "violations of the constitution and procedures" in the creation of a new majority in Ukraine's bitterly divided Verkhovna Rada. How serious he is about this is not yet clear, since he himself recently declared his opposition to a fresh ballot. The options though are narrowing fast.

Former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko has no such inhibitions. She told the U.S. daily "The Christian Science Monitor" on July 12 that the parliament has betrayed its promises to the people and is therefore illegitimate. There are two possibilities, she said: either we "become the coalition ourselves, or, if the law allows it, we will definitely be in favor of holding an early election".

Perhaps because it senses public opinion swinging in its favor, the Party of Regions is also in favor of holding new parliamentary elections. Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the party, may feel he has a chance now to win a majority in parliament.

But this could be wishful thinking. The chances are that new parliamentary elections would merely confirm the rifts that so badly divide Ukraine, further alienate the country's long-suffering electorate, and do nothing to bring political compromise any closer.

President Yushchenko is postponing any decision on what to do next by calling on parliament to elect a new Constitutional Court before he nominates anyone for the position of prime minister. He has also said that any new prime minister must be a moderate with no "business interests." He clearly wants to exclude Yanukovych but may have in mind Renat Akhmetov as a compromise candidate. Akhmetov is the richest and one of the most influential members of the Party of Regions.

As the political battles in parliament continue, the government appears rudderless. In the meantime, negotiations have resumed to create an international gas consortium to manage the Ukrainian gas-pipeline system. This consortium would most likely consist of Ukraine, Russia, and Germany.

Russia, which earlier this month threatened to increase the price of gas for Ukraine, has apparently decided to wait and see. It may fear that a significant increase in the gas price would show that the pro-Russian Party of Regions is no more able to influence decisions made in Moscow than Yushchenko.

In the absence of a strong central government, regional and city councils in eastern Ukraine are challenging the authority of the state. They have refused to obey orders to rescind resolutions making Russian the "second official language" -- resolutions that directly contradict the constitution.

Yushchenko appears either unable or unwilling to use force to enforce the law and is in danger of losing face with his core support base in western Ukraine. Many there are demanding that he act forcibly to prevent the country from sliding into anarchy. But, as Yushchenko no doubt fears, a show of force may make matters worse.