Ukraine's PM condemns Crimean leaders for joining Russia
(Vatican Radio)-- Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has condemned a vote
by Crimea's parliament to join Russia and to hold a referendum on the issue this month.
Speaking in Brussels, Yatsenyuk also warned his nation will defend itself
if Russia's military intervention escalates amid concerns over thousands of pro-Russian
forces on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
Listen to the report by Stefan Bos...
Crimean
legislators asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to “start the procedure” of allowing
the region to be “reunited with its motherland.” Additionally they agreed to hold
a referendum on the status of the Crimean Peninsula in 10 days time, explained legislator
Sergey Shuvalnikov.
"People will be asked whether they vote for the reunion
of Crimea with the Russian Federation, as a subject of the Russian federation. Secondly
they will be asked whether they vote for the 1992 constitutional restoration, and
for Crimea to be part of Ukraine,?" he explained.
It remained unclear why the
referendum was still needed as Crimea's Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliev said
a decree making Crimea part of Russia was already in force. He also warned Ukrainian
troops in the Russian-controlled territory that they would be treated as occupiers
and forced to surrender or leave.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk is
furious and said the Ukrainian outgunned and outnumbered army is prepared to defend
the former Soviet nation.
"ILLEGITIMATE DECISION"
"This is an
illegitimate decision and this so-called referendum has no legal grounds at all,”
he said. "That's the reason why we urge the Russian government not to support those
who claim separatism in Ukraine." He warned, "Crimea was, is, and will be an integral
part of Ukraine."
And, referring to the dismantled Berlin Wall, he also
urged President Putin to "tear down" what he called the "wall of intimidation and
military aggression".
Yatsenyuk said he was concerned that Russian military
movements in Crimea would eventually spread and go as far as the borders of the European
Union.
The prime minister also reminded the international community that
Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994 in exchange for security guarantees under
what is known as the Budapest Memorandum.
"It would be quit difficult to
convince Iran or North Korea to abandon their nuclear weapons in case if those who
guaranteed our independence do not succeed in providing and delivering these guarantees,"
he stressed.
EMERGENCY SUMMIT
He spoke at the emergency summit
of European Union leaders where Romania's President Traian Basescu proposed to mediate
between Russia and Ukraine.
Greece’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said
the crisis was a crucial test for Europe in the 21st century. "We have a crisis to
diffuse and Europe must prove its moderating role,” Samaras explained.
Though
differences remain over how to tackle the crisis, German chancellor Angela Merkel
welcomed EU plans to offer Ukraine 11 billion euro ($15 billion) in economic assistance.
Additionally
the EU announced an assets freeze covering the ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych
and his son as well as the former Prime Minister Mikola Azarov and his son and some
14 other officials.
They are held responsible for embezzling billions of
dollars in state funds.