Posted on 03/17/2014 12:09:16 PM PDT by kronos77
President Vladimir Putin has signed an order that Russia recognizes Crimea as a sovereign and independent state. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea held a referendum on Sunday with over 96% voting for integration into Russia.
“According to the will of the peoples of the Crimea on the all-Crimean referendum held on March 16, 2014, [I order] to recognize the Republic of Crimea, in which the city of Sevastopol has a special status, as a sovereign and independent state,” the document reads.
The order comes into force immediately.
Crimea was declared an independent sovereign state, the Republic of Crimea, on Monday, the autonomous Ukrainian regional parliament's website stated.
Crimea also addressed the UN seeking recognition as a sovereign state.
"The Republic of Crimea intends to build its relations with other states on the basis of equality, peace, mutual neighborly cooperation, and other generally agreed principles of political, economic and cultural cooperation between states," the parliament said.
The Crimean parliament also unanimously voted to integrate the region into Russia.
The parliament's resolution comes after Sunday's referendum which resulted in over 96 percent of voters answering ‘yes’ to the autonomous republic joining Russia. The overall voter turnout in the referendum was 81.37%, according to the head of the Crimean parliament’s commission on the referendum, Mikhail Malyshev.
He also stressed that there were no complaints concerning the voting process. Those international observers who came to Crimea made an official statement on Monday that the vote was free and conformed to international standards.
The international reaction to the Crimea’s referendum and its resolution was the implementation of sanctions. On Monday the EU and US slapped visa bans and financial restrictions against Russian and Ukrainian officials.
The White House stated that "the actions and policies" of the Russian government with respect to Ukraine "undermine democratic processes” and “threaten its peace,” sanctioning 11 officials. While the EU late on Monday introduced a list of 21 Russian and Crimean political figures that will be sanctioned for 6 months.
Russia has shown what it thinks of the West’s sanctions. What else do you expect from the Bear?
Crimea is “independent” of Russia?? Like how Miss Piggy’s movements and speaking are “independent” of Frank Oz?
A fake referendum, with a laughable tally, conducted by an occupying army, and "recognized" by the occupier himself.
Sudetenland II.
LOL great pic
I think that we should generate some new history here and claim that Crimea is a former Palestinian homeland (pay the Pali’s to demonstrate, etc.). Then demand the UN oust all Crimean invaders of non Muslim Russian ancestry and force Crimea to everything Israel won’t.... just sayin’
Putin Steals Obama’s Pen !!
Yep.
Like how the US refused to recognize the 1991 referendum for independence from Serbia passed by the muslim majority Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Oh wait.....
The US not only recognized the referendum but sent military forces to fight with NATO on the side of the separatist muslims.
Yes, US democrats love to spread democracy and independence - unless the vote goes against their wishes.
Check mate.
Well said.
Sounds like Harry S. Truman signing to recognize the State of Israel. I bet the whole world will soon be following PUTIN.
Putin did a slam dunk on Obama. lol
Good news for the Putin apologists here: North Korea recognized the results of the referendum, one of only two countries on the planet. (The other one is in Middle East, but I can’t figure out what country looking at the small map that shows it.)
I bet the whole world will soon be following PUTIN.
**************
Fortune favors the bold.
Yesterday's vote wasn't that impressive. Just before the 2003 invasion, Saddam Hussein had a vote in Iraq and won 100% of the votes. During the Communist era in Albania, in one election only two voters in the whole country failed to vote for the Communist Party.
Every one knows Crimea’s “independence” is a legal fiction created to facilitate its rapid admission into Russia. But you can say this about the Russians: they’re sticklers for legal norms.
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