Yushchenko's PM pick OK'd on second vote

KIEV, Ukraine, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Ukraine's parliament has approved President Viktor Yushchenko's choice for prime minister on a second vote, after rejecting him two days earlier.

Yuriy Yekhanurov, a regional governor, received 289 votes from the 338-member body Thursday after falling three votes short of the 226 needed for approval Tuesday.

After the first vote failed, Yushchenko signed a political accord with Viktor Yanukovych, his opponent in the presidential election last year, The Washington Post reported Friday. In return for being able to offer policy proposals to the new government, Yanukovych swung his party's 50 votes in parliament behind Yehkanurov.

Yekhanurov will replace Yulia Tymoshenko, whom Yushchenko fired, along with her entire cabinet, earlier in the month amid well-publicized infighting and charges of corruption.

After the vote, Yushchenko met with reporters and said that the 12 days preceding the vote had been the most difficult he has experienced, Novosti reported.