We would welcome Crimea, says Russia

Crimea would be welcome as an equal part of Russia if the region votes to leave Ukraine in an upcoming referendum, the speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said today.

Valentina Matvienko met the head of the Crimean parliament to discuss the region’s possible accession to Russia. Yesterday, the parliament of Crimea voted to move the referendum date up to March 16, and to include a question on joining Russia.

President Vladimir Putin has told reporters that Russia has no intention of annexing Crimea, while insisting that residents had the right to determine the region’s status – and thus possible independence – by popular vote. But the March 16 referendum will give Crimea residents only two options: to join Russia or to stay with Ukraine.

“If the decision is made (by referendum), then (Crimea) will become an absolutely equal subject of the Russian Federation,” said Ms Matvienko. She emphasised the grievances of Russian-speaking residents in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, which have been the Russian government’s primary justification for possible intervention in its neighbour.

She said the government welcomed the expedited referendum date, which was originally slated to coincide with nationwide elections on May 25. She dismissed that vote, saying there are “no conditions for honest, equal, transparent and open elections” in the country.

US President Barack Obama condemned the referendum move and the West answered with the first real sanctions against Russia. Mr Obama said any decisions on the future of Crimea, a pro-Russian area of Ukraine, must include the country’s new government.

“The proposed referendum on the future of Crimea would violate the constitution and violate international law,” he said.

The US moved to impose financial sanctions and travel restrictions on opponents of Ukraine’s new government. And the EU also announced limited punitive measures against Mr Putin’s government, including the suspension of trade and visa talks. Both Washington and the EU said they were discussing further sanctions.

The Russian parliament has scrambled to introduce legislation that would simplify the procedure for Crimea to join Russia.

According to current constitutional law, Russia can only annex foreign territory by an agreement “initiated... by the given foreign government.” Because Crimea is still legally Ukrainian territory, that would entail signing an agreement with new authorities in Kiev, who have condemned Russian moves in the region.

New legislation would sidestep that requirement, according to members of parliament, who said a new bill could be passed as soon as next week.

If the new bill is passed, Crimea would be the first territory to officially join Russia since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which broke away from the Caucasus nation of Georgia after a brief 2008 war with Russia, have been recognized as independent by Moscow, but there have been few serious moves to enable them to join Russia.