Ukraine's parliament has confirmed an ally of President Victor Yushchenko as the country's foreign minister.
Legislators
in the 450-seat Verkhovna Rada voted 240-0 Friday to approve
Yushchenko’s appointment of Petro Poroshenko, a millionaire businessman
and former top security and central bank official.
The vote is a
small victory for Yushchenko, who is locked in a power struggle with
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko ahead of January presidential elections
in which both are running.
The foreign minister’s job has been vacant since lawmakers loyal to Tymoshenko ousted another Yushchenko ally in March.
Poroshenko has vowed to improve badly strained ties with Russia. Moscow accuses Yushchenko of pursuing anti-Russian policies.
