Ukraine "orange" parties to coalesce

Parties linked to Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" that swept president Viktor Yushchenko to power initialled an agreement today…

Parties linked to Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" that swept president Viktor Yushchenko to power initialled an agreement today to form a post-election coalition in parliament and a government.

Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the largest "orange" group, endorsed the aaccord in the president's secretariat. Also initialling the agreement were Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, head of the pro-presidential Our Ukraine party and Yuri Lutsenko, head of the allied People's Self-Defence group.

The agreement is to be formally signed when the new parliament holds its first session. "Orange" parties hold a tiny majority of 228 seats after last month's election - two more than required to win most votes in the 450-seat chamber.