Viktor Yushchenko wil be sworn in as Ukraine's new president Sunday, bringing an end to months of political turmoil and uncertainty triggered by a presidential election crisis.

The 50-year-old pro-Western former banker is expected to take oath of office at noon (1000 GMT) Sunday inside parliament, followed by an address to his supporters in the central Independence Square in Kiev.

On the guest list of the inauguration are outgoing US Secretaryof State Colin Powell, NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Romanian President Traian Basescu and other foreign dignitaries.

Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China and president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will attend the inauguration ceremonyas Chinese President Hu Jintao's envoy.

Yushchenko, who will become the third president of independent Ukraine, has pledged to steer Ukraine on a new course, fighting corruption and forging closer ties with the European Union while maintaining traditional good relations with Russia.

Immediately after his inauguration, Yushchenko will make a working visit to Russia. Later in the week, the new president willvisit Western and Central Europe, according to Yushchenko's spokeswoman. Enditem