Ukraine crisis: US imposes sanctions as Crimea MPs vote to join Russia

Even as the diplomatic efforts by the West to resolve Ukraine crisis continue, the lawmakers of the regional Parliament of Crimea on Thursday voted in favour of becoming a part of Russia and a referendum regarding the same would be held on March 16.

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha Simferopol: In what is expected to aggravate the Ukraine crisis, the lawmakers of the regional Parliament of Crimea on Thursday voted in favour of becoming a part of Russia and a referendum regarding the same would be held on March 16.

The referendum will be put before the Crimean citizens to opt if they are in favour of reuniting the region with Russia "as a subject of the Russian Federation" or "retaining the status of Crimea as part of Ukraine", according to the decree published on the Crimean parliament`s website. Out of 86 parliamentarians, 78 voted in favour of reuniting with Russia, while eight of them abstained from voting. A statement by the Crimean Parliament resolved "to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation". Reacting to the move, Ukraine`s Economy Minister Pavlo Sheremeta said that the Crimeans joining Russia would be "unconstitutional". "We`re not working out what to do if Crimea joins the Russian Federation because we believe it`s unconstitutional," the BBC quoted him as saying. Meanwhile, cranking up the pressure on Moscow, the US has decided to impose visa bans on Russians and Crimeans, who are said to be threatening the sovereignty of Ukraine. A statement by the White House said that the US would "deny visas to those responsible for or complicit in threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine". US President Barack Obama today signed an executive order authorizing sanctions against "individuals and entities responsible for activities undermining democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine. In the executive order, Obama also authorized the blocking of property of "those who are most directly involved in destabilizing Ukraine, including the military intervention in Crimea," the State Department said. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who yesterday met his Russian counterpart Sergei La in Paris, continued his talks over Ukraine today in Rome. However, no agreement was yet in sight for Russia and US, a news agency reported. The crucial move by the Crimean Parliament comes a day after the interim Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk told a news agency that Crimea will remain in Ukraine, albeit with higher autonomy. Ukraine`s interim PM, who is in Brussels, called the Crimean Parliament`s move illegal and illegitimate. Speaking at a press conference, Yatsenyuk said, "This is an illegitimate decision and this so-called referendum has no legal grounds at all. That`s the reason why we urge the Russian government not to support those who claim separatism in Ukraine. Crimea was, is, and will be, an integral part of Ukraine". Meanwhile, the authorities in Kiev have issued arrest warrants against the newly appointed PM and some other politicians of Crimea, who have been slapped with criminal charges, reported the Xinhua. Also, Ukraine`s interim leader had earlier, passed a decree rejecting the appointment of Sergey Aksyonov as the new PM of Crimea, who was elected by the local legislature only last Thursday. Crimea has been the epicentre of Ukraine crisis after Yanukovych`s ouster, that followed a build-up of Russian soldiers throughout key bases and installations in the Black Sea Peninsula. The US claimed that Russia has gained full control of Crimea, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin in a presser, denied that they were Russian troops. Putin said that he had no intention to annex Crimea and the forces there were pro-Moscow self-defence forces. The vote by crimean Parliament comes ahead of a crucial emergency talks that the EU will hold today in Brussles. The EU also imposed asset freezes on the ousted Ukraine leader Viktor Yanukovych, whom Russia still considers the legitimate President. Crimea which has been the flashpoint of Ukraine-Russia tensions after the pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted on Feb 22, is home to Black Sea Fleet of Russia and two million people, most of whom are ethnic Russians. Crimea had been a part of Russia till 18th century before the region was handed over to Ukraine in 1954 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.