KYIV, January 18 /UKRINFORM/. The parliamentary faction of the Party of Regions is demanding from Verkhovna Rada Chairman Arseniy Yatseniuk withdrawal of his signature under the letter to the NATO Secretary General, in which the Ukrainian President, Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker are seeking support for Ukraine in its intention to join NATO. MP Vasyl Kyseliov, deputy head of the faction, announced this from the parliamentary rostrum, UKRINFORM correspondents reported.

According to Kyseliov, any moves concerning NATO are possible only after an all-Ukraine referendum.

There are no legal grounds for withdrawal of his signature under the letter to the NATO Secretary General, stated Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk.

Yatseniuk reminded that the Verkhovna Rada Chairman represents the Ukrainian Parliament in its relations with government agencies and international organizations. He also emphasized that the Speaker "has no right to sign on behalf of the Rada any documents that are not legally sealed". Yet, the Speaker added, in 2003 the Rada passed the law on national security, which envisages the possibility of Ukraine's NATO membership.

He also said the parliament had approved the resolution on a possible membership in the Alliance. "If the two relevant laws and the resolution are cancelled, the Verkhovna Rada Chairman will call his signature back," Yatseniuk stressed.

Leader of the OU-PSD faction Vyacheslav Kyrylenko linked the parliament's work blockade with close proceeding to tackling the cancelation of deputy immunity and privileges and expressing non-confidence to the Prosecutor General. He believes the NATO issue was just a cause.

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