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发帖数: 27100 | 1 United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Russia vetoed a Western-backed resol
ution condemning the Crimea referendum at a UN Security Council emergency v
ote Saturday but China abstained, isolating Moscow further on the Ukraine c
risis.
The draft resolution, which says Sunday's referendum would have no validity
, got 13 votes in the 15-member council. But it was rejected when permanent
member Russia exercised its veto.
"Russia isolated, alone and wrong blocked the resolution's passage," US amb
assador Samantha Power told the council at its seventh emergency session on
Ukraine since the crisis began.
"This is a sad and remarkable moment," she said.
"As we speak, Russian armed forces are massing across Ukraine's eastern bor
der," she added in a short speech.
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 Saturday's vote.
When the Security Council ruled on a similar international crisis, between
Russia and Georgia in 2008, Beijing abstained.
Saturday's emergency meeting was called at Washington's request and the res
olution had been drafted by the United States in very measured terms so tha
t it could be accepted by Beijing.
Beijing has long defended the need to respect territorial integrity and doe
s not back interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
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UN Security Council members vote on a resolution on …
UN Security Council members vote on a resolution on Ukraine at the United N
ations headquarters in Ne br />
Russia's veto had been certain after last-ditch
talks between US Secretary
of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov broke down in
London on Friday.
"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.
He defended Sunday's referendum as necessary to fill the "legal vacuum" tha
t arose "as a result of an unconstitutional coup d'etat in Ukraine."
The resolution declared that the referendum on Crimea coming under Kremlin
rule has "no validity and cannot form the basis for any alteration of the s
tatus of Crimea."
The draft resolution did not explicitly call for Russian troop reinforcemen
ts to withdraw from Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, where Moscow has military
bases.
Nor did it threaten sanctions.
- 'Further escalation' -
After Sunday's vote in the autonomous region of Ukraine, which has a large
ethnic Russian population, Western powers will ratchet up their criticism o
f Russia.
The resolution called on states to refrain from recognizing the result and
from "any action or dealing that might be interpreted as recognizing any su
ch altered status."
It was a convoluted formula to demand that Russia not annex Crimea.
The resolution also reaffirmed commitment to the "sovereignty, independence
, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally rec
ognized borders."
It urged Moscow and Kiev to hold direct talks and exercise restraint, and n
oted the willingness expressed by Kiev to protect the rights of all Ukraini
ans, including minorities.
Moscow says Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine have been threatened since
the fall of pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych after deadly protests la
te last month.
British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant demanded Russia rethink its moves and w
ork to find a peaceful solution.
"If this referendum takes place tomorrow it will have no validity, no credi
bility and no recognition. We trust that Russia will take notice of its iso
lation," he told the council.
"If Russia fails to respond to Ukraine's outstretched hand, it will lead to
further escalation of tension in the region and further consequences for R
ussia," he said.
"We ask Russia to hear the collective voice of the international community
today... and take the decision to work with Ukraine and with the rest of th
e world to find a peaceful solution." | R**********t
发帖数: 1795 | 2 This is China's tacit approval of Russian action.
Those Western media.
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【在 v***t 的大作中提到】
: United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Russia vetoed a Western-backed resol
: ution condemning the Crimea referendum at a UN Security Council emergency v
: ote Saturday but China abstained, isolating Moscow further on the Ukraine c
: risis.
: The draft resolution, which says Sunday's referendum would have no validity
: , got 13 votes in the 15-member council. But it was rejected when permanent
: member Russia exercised its veto.
: "Russia isolated, alone and wrong blocked the resolution's passage," US amb
: assador Samantha Power told the council at its seventh emergency session on
: Ukraine since the crisis began.
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