Russia has vetoed a Western-backed resolution condemning the Crimea referendum at a UN Security Council emergency vote Saturday but China abstained from the vote. The draft resolution, which says Sundays referendum would have no validity, got 13 votes in the 15-member Council. But it was rejected when permanent member Russia exercised its veto. Read also: US willing to politicize situation in Ukraine as much as possible - Moscow It is a secret to no one that the Russian Federation will vote against the resolution, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council in opening remarks before the vote. We can not go along with [the resolutions] basic assumption that is declaring illegal the ... planned referendum, Vitaly Churkin added. He defended Sundays referendum as necessary to fill the legal vacuum that arose as a result of an unconstitutional coup detat in Ukraine. Read also: US refuses to listen to voice of reason over Ukraine crisis - Moscow China often backs Russia at the council, especially on Syria-related votes, and Western diplomats had seen its abstention as the best possible outcome from Saturdays vote. When the Security Council ruled on a similar international crisis, between Russia and Georgia in 2008, Beijing abstained. Saturdays emergency meeting was called at Washingtons request and the resolution had been drafted by the United States in very measured terms so that it could be accepted by Beijing. The resolution declared that the referendum on Crimea has no validity and cannot form the basis for any alteration of the status of Crimea. Members of the council that voted in favour of the resolution - including the United States - condemned the Russian veto. UN Security Council vote Saturday on Ukraine resolution The UN Security Council will meet in an emergency session Saturday to vote on a Western-backed resolution denouncing the upcoming referendum in Ukraines Crimea, diplomats said Friday. The meeting, which is set to begin at 11:00 am (1500 GMT), was called at Washingtons request. Diplomats say they expect Russia to veto the resolution. Read also: Crimea doesnt need independence, must be part of Russia - Crimean PM Turnout cant affect referendum legitimacy - Crimean authorities Crimea ready to resist provocations on referendum day - Crimean PM Russian troops in Crimea not involved in active measures - PM Aksyonov Voice of Russia, AFP, Interfax, RIA Read more: voiceofrussia/2014_03_15/Russia-vetoes-UN-resolution-on-Crimea-1188/
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 20:00:34 +0000
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