UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly has passed a non-binding resolution declaring Crimea’s referendum on seceding from Ukraine and joining Russia as invalid.
The resolution was passed with 100 votes in favor and 11 against while 58 countries abstained from the voting in the 193-nation assembly.
The resolution, which does not mention Russia by name, says the General Assembly “calls upon all States, international organizations and specialized agencies not to recognize any alteration of the status” of Crimea and Sevastopol.
According to western diplomats, the number of yes votes was higher than expected despite what they called Moscow’s aggressive lobbying efforts against the resolution.
On the other hand, Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that the results of the UN General Assembly vote show Russia is not isolated in its stance on the Ukraine crisis.
“Very many countries complained that they were undergoing colossal pressure on the part of Western powers to vote in support of that resolution,” Churkin told journalists after the vote, adding that he believes the pressure “produced a certain effect.”
“Some countries voted grudgingly, shall I say, and complained to us about the strong pressure they had experienced,” Churkin said.
Only 10 other countries stood with Russia in voting against the resolution including Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
