15:27
27.3.2014
Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya has been addressing the UN General Assembly:
In his speech, he lashed out at Russia's annexation of Crimea, saying that international security agreements have been "seriously compromised" by Moscow's actions.
He also said that the text of a resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity before the UN General Assembly "serves a de-escalatory purpose" and that "a strong vote today will deter territorial violations."
In what seems to have been a reference to events since the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych, he said "one month has cost us dearly" and urged the General Assembly to adopt the resolution.
He also said that the text of a resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity before the UN General Assembly "serves a de-escalatory purpose" and that "a strong vote today will deter territorial violations."
In what seems to have been a reference to events since the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych, he said "one month has cost us dearly" and urged the General Assembly to adopt the resolution.
15:31
27.3.2014
Andriy Deshchytsya's speech to the UN General Assembly has been directly followed with an address by Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin:
He has said that a referendum was held in Crimea, the penusular has historically been a part of Russia, and that the Crimean people never lost their desire to be part of Russia.
Churkin added that "legitimate government ceased to exist" in Kyiv since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was "forced to vacate" the country.
He called the upcoming resolution "confrontational" and said that Russia could not ignore the appeals of "Crimeans to be allowed to realize their right to self-determination."
He has said that a referendum was held in Crimea, the penusular has historically been a part of Russia, and that the Crimean people never lost their desire to be part of Russia.
Churkin added that "legitimate government ceased to exist" in Kyiv since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was "forced to vacate" the country.
He called the upcoming resolution "confrontational" and said that Russia could not ignore the appeals of "Crimeans to be allowed to realize their right to self-determination."
15:55
27.3.2014
More from the UN General Assembly ahead of the expected vote on Ukraine's territorial integrity:
The head of the EU delegation to the UN Thomas Mayr-Harting has denounced the use of force to redraw borders and "condemns Russian actions that are in clear breach of the UN Charter" at session of UN General Assembly.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said "the resolution before us is about one thing and one thing only -- affirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Power added that "Ukraine is justified in asking us not to recognize the status quo" Russia is pushing.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said "the resolution before us is about one thing and one thing only -- affirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Power added that "Ukraine is justified in asking us not to recognize the status quo" Russia is pushing.
16:10
27.3.2014
Here's another Crimea-related item from RFE/RL's newsdesk:
Ukraine says it is cutting the number of staff at the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyynis told reporters in Kyiv today that the measure was taken due to a "significant decrease in the bilateral cooperation with the Russian Federation."
Perebyynis called the move "a natural measure."
He did not give any details on the exact number of embassy staff scheduled to be cut.
According to Perebyynis, the Kremlin has cut the staff of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv in recent days as well.
Moreover, Ukraine also says it plans to increase radio broadcasts to its Crimea region.
The deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), Viktoria Syumar told journalists in Kyiv today that a new Russian-language service will be set up within Ukrainian National Radio and that a series of programs directed at Crimea will be created.
Syumar said the "reinstatement of Ukraine's informational presence in Crimea is an important goal."
She added that Ukrainian National Radio's signal in Crimea and some regions of Russia is very strong and will be strengthened further.
The announcement comes after a court in Kyiv ruled on March 24 to suspend the broadcasts of Russia's four major television channels in Ukraine -- RTR, Channel One, NTV, and Rossiya-24 -- pending a lawsuit brought by the National Broadcasting Council against a company that retransmits the Russian channels. (UNIAN, Interfax)
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyynis told reporters in Kyiv today that the measure was taken due to a "significant decrease in the bilateral cooperation with the Russian Federation."
Perebyynis called the move "a natural measure."
He did not give any details on the exact number of embassy staff scheduled to be cut.
According to Perebyynis, the Kremlin has cut the staff of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv in recent days as well.
Moreover, Ukraine also says it plans to increase radio broadcasts to its Crimea region.
The deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), Viktoria Syumar told journalists in Kyiv today that a new Russian-language service will be set up within Ukrainian National Radio and that a series of programs directed at Crimea will be created.
Syumar said the "reinstatement of Ukraine's informational presence in Crimea is an important goal."
She added that Ukrainian National Radio's signal in Crimea and some regions of Russia is very strong and will be strengthened further.
The announcement comes after a court in Kyiv ruled on March 24 to suspend the broadcasts of Russia's four major television channels in Ukraine -- RTR, Channel One, NTV, and Rossiya-24 -- pending a lawsuit brought by the National Broadcasting Council against a company that retransmits the Russian channels. (UNIAN, Interfax)
16:49
27.3.2014
#US suspends issuance of licenses for exports of armaments to #Russia http://t.co/fB8DuHJqL6
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) March 27, 2014
16:55
27.3.2014
OSCE rep for freedom of the press says Ukraine's shutting down of russian tv channels can be considered legal if properly argued
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) March 27, 2014
17:01
27.3.2014
!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!
The UN General Assembly has voted on a resolution on the "territorial integrity of Ukraine" declaring Crimea's secession vote invalid. The resolution was passed with 100 countries voting in favor of the resolution, 11 against, and 58 abstaining.
17:16
27.3.2014
Vote at #UNGA -100 in favor including #France, & only 11 against #UN resolution on territorial integrity of #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/L9AOONA9WB
— La France à l'ONU (@franceonu) March 27, 2014
17:38
27.3.2014
This is just in from our newsdesk. There are some interesting names among the countries that voted against the UN resolution:
The UN General Assembly has voted on the resolution on the "territorial integrity of Ukraine" declaring Crimea's secession vote invalid.
The resolution was passed with 100 countries voting in favor of the resolution, 11 against, and 58 abstaining.
The 11 that voted against the resolution were Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
The 58 abstentions include Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, while Azerbaijan was among those who voted in favor.
The resolution was passed with 100 countries voting in favor of the resolution, 11 against, and 58 abstaining.
The 11 that voted against the resolution were Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
The 58 abstentions include Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, while Azerbaijan was among those who voted in favor.
18:20
27.3.2014
RFE/RL's newsdesk has just issued a longer item on the vote concerning Ukraine's territorial integrity at the United Nations:
The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution on the "territorial integrity of Ukraine" declaring Crimea's recent secession vote invalid.
One hundred countries voted in favor of the resolution, with 11 against and 58 abstaining.
The 11 that opposed the resolution were Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
While Armenia voted against the resolution, Azerbaijan voted in favor. Azerbaijan says the Nagorno-Karabakh territory currently under Armenian control rightfully belongs to Azerbaijan.
Among the other countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States, Moldova voted in favor of the resolution, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan abstained. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan did not vote.
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya was the first speaker at the session ahead of the vote.
He said international security agreements have been "seriously compromised" by Russia's unrecognized annexation of Crimea.
"For a month now all possible and impossible boundaries of international law, so laboriously nourished by the mankind, especially by this institution, have been ruthlessly trampled," he said. "What has happened in my country is a direct violation of the UN Charter. Many still struggle to grasp the reality. It happened in Ukraine, in the very heart of Europe; it happened in the 21st century."
Deshchytsya accused Russia of taking advantage of Ukraine's fledgling government.
"This aggression was meticulously calibrated to strike at the time when Ukraine was forming [its] inclusive government," he said. "Now, despite all odds, such a government is up and running. [The invasion] was also aimed and is still aiming to undermine [the] presidential election in my country. Let me assure you that Ukraine is determined to carry on with holding elections as scheduled on May 25."
Deshchytsya speech was followed by an address to the assembly from Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who defended his country's actions.
"Russia's stance towards the proposed draft resolution of the General Assembly is negative," he said ahead of the vote. "The draft resolution is confrontational. The draft aims to cast doubt over the Crimean referendum that has already played its historical role. It is counterproductive to dispute it. At the same time let me point out that the draft does contain a number of fair elements, for example a call to refrain from unilateral actions and rhetoric of incitement that may lead to an escalation of tension. We consider that no additional resolutions are necessary in order to heed this call."
Churkin added that l"egitimate government ceased to exist" in Kyiv since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was "forced to vacate" the country.
The European Union's UN representative, Thomas Mayr-Harting, denounced the use of force to redraw borders and "condemns Russian actions that are in clear breach of the UN Charter."
Also speaking ahead of the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power told the General Assembly that "the resolution before us is about one thing and one thing only -- affirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Unlike the Security Council, General Assembly resolutions are not subject to vetoes nor are they legally binding but they do reflect world opinion.
One hundred countries voted in favor of the resolution, with 11 against and 58 abstaining.
The 11 that opposed the resolution were Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
While Armenia voted against the resolution, Azerbaijan voted in favor. Azerbaijan says the Nagorno-Karabakh territory currently under Armenian control rightfully belongs to Azerbaijan.
Among the other countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States, Moldova voted in favor of the resolution, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan abstained. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan did not vote.
Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya was the first speaker at the session ahead of the vote.
He said international security agreements have been "seriously compromised" by Russia's unrecognized annexation of Crimea.
"For a month now all possible and impossible boundaries of international law, so laboriously nourished by the mankind, especially by this institution, have been ruthlessly trampled," he said. "What has happened in my country is a direct violation of the UN Charter. Many still struggle to grasp the reality. It happened in Ukraine, in the very heart of Europe; it happened in the 21st century."
Deshchytsya accused Russia of taking advantage of Ukraine's fledgling government.
"This aggression was meticulously calibrated to strike at the time when Ukraine was forming [its] inclusive government," he said. "Now, despite all odds, such a government is up and running. [The invasion] was also aimed and is still aiming to undermine [the] presidential election in my country. Let me assure you that Ukraine is determined to carry on with holding elections as scheduled on May 25."
Deshchytsya speech was followed by an address to the assembly from Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who defended his country's actions.
"Russia's stance towards the proposed draft resolution of the General Assembly is negative," he said ahead of the vote. "The draft resolution is confrontational. The draft aims to cast doubt over the Crimean referendum that has already played its historical role. It is counterproductive to dispute it. At the same time let me point out that the draft does contain a number of fair elements, for example a call to refrain from unilateral actions and rhetoric of incitement that may lead to an escalation of tension. We consider that no additional resolutions are necessary in order to heed this call."
Churkin added that l"egitimate government ceased to exist" in Kyiv since former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was "forced to vacate" the country.
The European Union's UN representative, Thomas Mayr-Harting, denounced the use of force to redraw borders and "condemns Russian actions that are in clear breach of the UN Charter."
Also speaking ahead of the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power told the General Assembly that "the resolution before us is about one thing and one thing only -- affirming the territorial integrity of Ukraine."
Unlike the Security Council, General Assembly resolutions are not subject to vetoes nor are they legally binding but they do reflect world opinion.