Kyrgyzstan says Crimea referendum 'legitimate'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 March 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kyrgyzstan says Crimea referendum 'legitimate', 20 March 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/534d30a85.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 20, 2014
By RFE/RL
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) with Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambaev at a summit in September
The government of Kyrgyzstan says it recognizes Crimea's controversial referendum and decision to join the Russian Federation as legitimate.
The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website on March 20 that "the results of the referendum in the Crimea from March 16 represent the will of absolute majority of the population of the autonomous republic."
The statement also says that "unconsidered actions and corruption of former Ukrainian authorities led to the current crisis" over Russia's annexation of the peninsula.
The West calls Russia's annexation of Crimea illegal and has condemned it as the biggest European security threat since the Cold War.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
