| Author (Corporate) | BBC |
|---|---|
| Series Title | BBC News |
| Series Details | 06.03.14 |
| Publication Date | 06/03/2014 |
| Content Type | News |
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MPs in the Crimea parliament voted on the 6 March 2014 to ask Russia to allow the southern Ukrainian region to become part of the Russian Federation. The Supreme Council of Crimea decided to hold a referendum on the matter on the 16 March 2014, a move Ukraine’s election commission had said was unconstitutional. The EU and US both joined Ukraine's government in condemning as 'illegal' the move by the Crimea region. On the 7 March 2014 the heads of Russia's two houses of parliament said they would support Crimea if the region voted to leave Ukraine in the referendum. A mission of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was denied entry to the breakaway region of Crimea on the 8 March 2014. Warning shots were fired after the military assessment team from OSCE states neared the checkpoint in the city of Armyansk, according to OSCE. This was the third attempt by the 54-strong OSCE mission to enter Crimea since the 6 March 2014. Chancellor Merkel told President Putin on the 9 March 2014 that a referendum on Crimea would violate international law. She regretted a lack of progress on forming an international contact group to solve Ukraine's stalemate. The BBC and other news sources reported on the 9 March 2014 that tens of thousands of people in Ukraine held rival pro-unity and pro-Russian rallies, as Russia continued to strengthen its grip on Crimea. [For many further information sources on the events and initiatives relating to the Ukraine crisis on the 6 March 2014, including the Extraordinary meeting of EU Heads of State or Government on Ukraine, Brussels, 6 March 2014, click on the related url hyperlinks]. |
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| Source Link | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26465962 |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, Ukraine |
