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Crimea’s Parliament Decides to Secede to Russia | World | RIA Novosti
MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) – The parliament of Crimea, a majority ethnic Russian region within Ukraine, decided Thursday to secede from the country and become part of Russia, according to a statement on its website.
A popular vote to approve the decision or restore the 1992 Crimean Constitution, whereby the peninsula would remain an autonomous republic within Ukraine, is scheduled for March 16, the statement said.
The ballot, to be printed in the Russian, Ukrainian and Tatar languages, will include only those two questions. Neither question would allow voters to indicate a preference for independence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with senior officials in an emergency session of his Security Council to discuss the decision by Crimea’s parliament to secede, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin said Tuesday that Russia was not considering annexing Crimea, but that the residents of a region can determine their own future.
Russian lawmaker Sergei Mironov said there was ample time for his country’s parliament to pass legislation that he introduced last week to annex Crimea.
Rallies around the predominantly Russian-speaking peninsula following the formation of the new government in Kiev have openly called for secession and annexation by Russia.
Crimean officials have refused to recognize as legitimate the new central government in Kiev, which ousted President Viktor Yanukovych on February 22.
Thousands of troops apparently under Russian command but lacking official insignia have taken control over Ukrainian military bases across Crimea in the past week.
Russia’s parliament has approved military intervention in Ukraine, but President Vladimir Putin has denied that troops have been deployed and has called the masked soldiers “local militia.”
The referendum was originally scheduled to be held May 25, the same day as Ukraine’s early presidential election.
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BBC News - Ukraine crisis: Crimea parliament asks to join Russia
MPs in Crimea have asked Moscow to allow the southern Ukrainian region to become part of the Russian Federation.
The parliament said if its request was granted, Crimean citizens could give their view in a referendum on 16 March.
Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the move had no legal grounds.
Crimea, a region whose population is mostly ethnic Russian, has been at the centre of tensions following the fall of Ukraine's pro-Moscow president.
Pro-Russian and Russian forces have been in de facto control of the peninsula for several days.
'Reunited'
The Crimean parliament resolved "to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation".
It said it had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin "to start the procedure".
"This means we have reunited with our motherland which we have been a part of for so long," said Crimea's deputy parliamentary speaker, Sergei Tsekov.
The Kremlin said President Putin was aware of developments but no response has yet been made.
If Russia agrees to Crimea's request, the Crimean people will be asked two questions in the 16 March referendum, the statement says:
Ukraine's new interim government does not recognise the leadership in Crimea - which was sworn in at an emergency session while the building was under siege from pro-Russian armed men last week.
Interim Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta said it would be unconstitutional for Crimea to join the Russian Federation.
But Crimea's First Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliev dismissed the suggestion, saying Crimea views the new authorities in Kiev as illegitimate.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the Crimean MPs' vote was a "serious step in the wrong direction".
Mr Yatsenyuk met the 28 EU leaders before their Brussels summit.
He said that Ukraine had to be "one united" nation and that Ukrainians stood ready to "protect our country" if Russia extended its military action.
He noted there was a "huge military imbalance", saying: "We have less arms, no nuclear weapons... but we have spirit."
He added: "Russian boots and tanks on the ground is unacceptable in the 21st Century."
Some EU members have been calling for tough sanctions on Russia, while others - led by Germany - prefer mediation.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on Libya.
After the talks, Mr Lavrov said: "For now we cannot tell the international community that we have an agreement."
But Crimea's First Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliev dismissed the suggestion, saying Crimea views the new authorities in Kiev as illegitimate.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the Crimean MPs' vote was a "serious step in the wrong direction".
Mr Yatsenyuk met the 28 EU leaders before their Brussels summit.
MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) – The parliament of Crimea, a majority ethnic Russian region within Ukraine, decided Thursday to secede from the country and become part of Russia, according to a statement on its website.
A popular vote to approve the decision or restore the 1992 Crimean Constitution, whereby the peninsula would remain an autonomous republic within Ukraine, is scheduled for March 16, the statement said.
The ballot, to be printed in the Russian, Ukrainian and Tatar languages, will include only those two questions. Neither question would allow voters to indicate a preference for independence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with senior officials in an emergency session of his Security Council to discuss the decision by Crimea’s parliament to secede, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin said Tuesday that Russia was not considering annexing Crimea, but that the residents of a region can determine their own future.
Russian lawmaker Sergei Mironov said there was ample time for his country’s parliament to pass legislation that he introduced last week to annex Crimea.
Rallies around the predominantly Russian-speaking peninsula following the formation of the new government in Kiev have openly called for secession and annexation by Russia.
Crimean officials have refused to recognize as legitimate the new central government in Kiev, which ousted President Viktor Yanukovych on February 22.
Thousands of troops apparently under Russian command but lacking official insignia have taken control over Ukrainian military bases across Crimea in the past week.
Russia’s parliament has approved military intervention in Ukraine, but President Vladimir Putin has denied that troops have been deployed and has called the masked soldiers “local militia.”
The referendum was originally scheduled to be held May 25, the same day as Ukraine’s early presidential election.
========================================================================
BBC News - Ukraine crisis: Crimea parliament asks to join Russia
MPs in Crimea have asked Moscow to allow the southern Ukrainian region to become part of the Russian Federation.
The parliament said if its request was granted, Crimean citizens could give their view in a referendum on 16 March.
Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the move had no legal grounds.
Crimea, a region whose population is mostly ethnic Russian, has been at the centre of tensions following the fall of Ukraine's pro-Moscow president.
Pro-Russian and Russian forces have been in de facto control of the peninsula for several days.
'Reunited'
The Crimean parliament resolved "to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation".
It said it had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin "to start the procedure".
"This means we have reunited with our motherland which we have been a part of for so long," said Crimea's deputy parliamentary speaker, Sergei Tsekov.
The Kremlin said President Putin was aware of developments but no response has yet been made.
If Russia agrees to Crimea's request, the Crimean people will be asked two questions in the 16 March referendum, the statement says:
- Are you in favour of reuniting Crimea with Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation?
- Are you in favour of retaining the status of Crimea as part of Ukraine?
Ukraine's new interim government does not recognise the leadership in Crimea - which was sworn in at an emergency session while the building was under siege from pro-Russian armed men last week.
Interim Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta said it would be unconstitutional for Crimea to join the Russian Federation.
But Crimea's First Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliev dismissed the suggestion, saying Crimea views the new authorities in Kiev as illegitimate.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the Crimean MPs' vote was a "serious step in the wrong direction".
Mr Yatsenyuk met the 28 EU leaders before their Brussels summit.
He said that Ukraine had to be "one united" nation and that Ukrainians stood ready to "protect our country" if Russia extended its military action.
He noted there was a "huge military imbalance", saying: "We have less arms, no nuclear weapons... but we have spirit."
He added: "Russian boots and tanks on the ground is unacceptable in the 21st Century."
Some EU members have been calling for tough sanctions on Russia, while others - led by Germany - prefer mediation.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Rome on the sidelines of a conference on Libya.
After the talks, Mr Lavrov said: "For now we cannot tell the international community that we have an agreement."
But Crimea's First Deputy PM Rustam Temirgaliev dismissed the suggestion, saying Crimea views the new authorities in Kiev as illegitimate.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the Crimean MPs' vote was a "serious step in the wrong direction".
Mr Yatsenyuk met the 28 EU leaders before their Brussels summit.
