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Yushchenko and Tymoshenko row at Ukraineâ€™s National Security and Defense Councilâ€™s meeting

10 February 2009 16:53 (UTC +04:00)

President Victor Yushchenko strongly criticized Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, APA quotes UNIAN agency.Yushchenko said the government agreed on the â€œzero variantâ€ â€“ reverse of property rights over the former USSR facilities in Ukraine instead of $5 billion credits from Russia. Tymoshenko, who also attended the meeting, interfered in the presidentâ€™s speech and accused him of a lie. In response, Yushchenko demanded chief of his secretariat Victor Baloga to submit the relevant documents. Baloga announced the text of directives Tymoshenko gave to the deputy ministers of foreign affairs and finance. 11th article of the directive giving to the government officials, who were sent by the prime minister to Russia, was bout the â€œzero variantâ€. Yushchenko said that Russian credits to Armenia, Belarus and Moldova were first step toward that those countries lost control over their gas systems. He said Tymoshenko had no authority to hold gas talks and to sign the documents. After his speech, Yushchenko said the session would be continued behind closed doors. â€œYou got secret materials here and I am warning you about your personal responsibilityâ€. Tymoshenko tried to express her position for media. â€œI want to state before the journalists leaving that Mr. Yushchenkoâ€™s words are not truthâ€. After that the live broadcasting was cut.