Earlier in the day, President Viktor Yushchenko's six-party Our Ukraine bloc confirmed it was going into opposition to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, and urged its members in the executive branch to quit their posts and form a shadow cabinet.
After two months of negotiations, Yushchenko has failed to reach an agreement with Yanukovych, his former rival in the 2004 election, on forming a governing coalition, and the sides continue to disagree over a national unity agreement proposed by the president, notably on his drive to join NATO.
But Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko said: "As a representative of democratic forces, I believe it would be harmful to resign from my post."
He said, however, that "if the president deems it [resignation] necessary, I will do as he wishes - I am not clinging to my post," and acknowledged his relations with Yanukovych and ministers loyal to him were "not particularly comfortable, but businesslike."
Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk also appeared reluctant to heed his party's calls to step down.
Ministry spokesman Andriy Deshchytsia said Tuesday that Tarasyuk continues to perform his duties. "A decision on his resignation is for the president to make," he said.
