NATO sets Ukraine meeting despite domestic standoff

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO foreign ministers have agreed to meet their Ukrainian counterpart in Oslo next week despite initial concerns in the alliance the power struggle in Kiev could render any talks pointless.

"There is a meeting at minister level," a NATO spokesman said of talks set for next Friday in the Norwegian capital following a regular meeting of NATO foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The agenda will include NATO-Ukraine cooperation on defense reform and possible Ukrainian support for NATO operations in Afghanistan and anti-terror patrols in the Mediterranean, the spokesman added.

Allies will also use the meeting with Arseniy Yatsenyuk to make clear they want an early end to the standoff between pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko and Moscow-leaning Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

"This is a good opportunity to send messages and to hear what the Ukrainians have to say," said one alliance source. Some allies initially said the uncertainty over Ukraine's future political direction made any such meeting pointless.

Yushchenko's hopes of a fast-track entry into NATO following the 2004 "Orange Revolution" have faded amid Western disappointment at his failure to get a grip of his country and push pro-Western reforms. Yanukovich, meanwhile, has stressed the lack of support among Ukrainians for NATO membership.

However NATO is committed to pursue a so-called "intensified dialogue" with Kiev on its membership ambitions and welcomes its readiness to support NATO operations, with the possibility of it sending a team of medics to Afghanistan.

Yushchenko dissolved parliament after accusing Yanukovich of illegally enticing his supporters to cross the floor in parliament to enlarge the majority backing the government.

His action provoked demonstrations by supporters and detractors of the decree, but these have been much smaller than Orange Revolution rallies.

Yushchenko said on Friday he was prepared to suspend the decree dissolving parliament if his rivals agreed to several conditions, including major changes to legislation.