World leaders condemn Russia's Crimea 'annexation'
Crimea's parliament voted to join Russia on Thursday.
PARIS (AFP) - Reaction from around the world as Russia signs a treaty to make Crimea a part of its territory.
- UNITED STATES
"It's an effort by Putin to rewrite the boundaries of post-World War II Europe," -- former secretary of state Hillary Clinton
Russian moves into eastern Ukraine "would be as egregious as any step that I can think of that would be taken by a country in today's world, particularly by a country like Russia where so much is at stake." -- US Secretary of State John Kerry
"The Crimean 'referendum', which violates the Ukrainian constitution and occurred under duress of Russian military intervention, (will) never be recognised by the United States and the international community." -- US President Barack Obama, who then called on members of the G7 -- minus G8 member Russia -- to join him in The Hague to discuss the crisis next week.
"Russia has offered a variety of arguments to justify what is nothing more than a land grab." -- US Vice President Joe Biden
"We condemn Russia's moves to formally annex Crimea. With sanctions already designated against Russian officials, "there are more to come." -- White House spokesman Jay Carney
- GERMANY
"The one-sided declaration of Crimea's independence and the absorption into the Russian Federation that started today are unacceptable blows against the territorial integrity of Ukraine." -- Spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel referring to what she and Obama had agreed on in a phone call
"The so-called referendum breached international law, the declaration of independence which the Russian president accepted yesterday was against international law, and the absorption into the Russian Federation is, in our firm opinion, also against international law." -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
- EUROPEAN UNION
"The European Union does neither recognise the illegal and illegitimate referendum in Crimea nor its outcome. The European Union does not and will not recognise the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation." -- EU president Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso in a joint statement
- UNITED NATIONS
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has been following "with mounting concern first the holding of the referendum and now actions taken in relation to the annexation of Crimea" and "strongly urges resumption of a constructive dialogue between all concerned parties in order to resolve this crisis." -- Ban's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric
- NATO
"Crimea's annexation is illegal and illegitimate and NATO allies will not recognise it." -- NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen
He added that he was "deeply concerned" by reports of the death of a Ukrainian soldier. "It is urgent that all sides show restraint and take all possible steps to avoid further escalation."
- UKRAINE
"Russia is playing a dirty game to annex Crimea. World War II began with the annexation by Nazi Germany of other countries' territories. Today, Putin is following the example of 20th century fascists." -- Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov
Putin's message to the West was "I could care less about you." -- Former jailed opposition leader and Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko, adding: "Redrawing the maps of the world through wars and bloodshed is his (Putin's) 'Mein Kampf'", referring to Adolf Hitler's opus.
- BRITAIN
"It was regrettable to hear President Putin today choosing the route of isolation" -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague, announcing that Britain will suspend all bilateral military cooperation with Russia
- FRANCE
"France does not recognise the results of the referendum held in Crimea on March 16, or the annexation of this region of Ukraine to Russia." -- French President Francois Hollande, urging a "strong and coordinated European response to the new step that has just been taken."
- AUSTRALIA
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against 12 officials involved in the annexing of Crimea.
"The unauthorised vote in Crimea on 16 March, carried out while Russian forces were effectively in control of the territory, cannot form the legitimate basis for any alteration of the status of Crimea," she said
- BALTICS
"Russia's actions in Ukraine and demonstration of military power in (the Russian exclave of) Kaliningrad pose threats to the security of the Baltic region and Poland. Immediate measures and concerted efforts are needed to strengthen regional security." -- Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskiate after talks with Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski
- JAPAN
"(Russian action) violates Ukraine's unity, sovereignty and the integrity of its territory, and we condemn it. "Our country cannot overlook an attempt to change the status quo by force," -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, threatening to impose further sanctions
- INDIA
In a phonecall with Putin, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "expressed his hope that all sides would exercise restraint and work together constructively to find political and diplomatic solutions that protected the legitimate interests of all countries in the region and ensured long term peace and stability in Europe and beyond."
