The Russian liberal opposition party Yabloko...

Kasyanov, who was prime minister during Vladimir Putin"s first term as president in 2000-2004, now heads a tiny liberal opposition party, the People"s Democratic Union. Some media outlets earlier reported, citing Kasyanov, that the party was ready to form a coalition with Yabloko.

Neither party is represented in parliament.

"The coalition initiative is now only being discussed," Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin said.

"He [Kasyanov] made a premature coalition announcement. There should be no hurry, as it might disrupt the coalition process," he went on.

Mitrokhin added that his party had already decided to join forces with the former Pensioners of Russia party.

MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti)