Crimea Votes Whether to Join Russia

Pro-Moscow authorities in Crimea have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to examine a request for their region to join the Russian Federation, which will be put to a referendum on March 16, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported yesterday. 

"The parliament of Crimea has adopted a motion for Crimea to join Russia. It has asked the Russian president and parliament to consider this request," a member of the parliament’s leadership, Grigoriy Loffe, told AFP. Local voters will also be given the choice to remain part of Ukraine, but with enhanced local powers.

Meanwhile, European Union (EU) leaders were set to warn but not sanction Russia on Thursday over its military intervention in Ukraine after Moscow snubbed Western diplomatic efforts to persuade it to pull forces in Crimea back to their bases.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov refused to meet his new Ukrainian counterpart or to launch a "contact group" to seek a solution to the crisis at talks in Paris on Wednesday.

Source : Tempo