You're reading: UK ambassador deplores decision on Crimean referendum, sees diplomatic way out of crisis

The Crimean parliament's decision to hold a referendum will increase the tension in Crimea, UK Ambassador to Ukraine Simon Smith has said.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday, the ambassador said that the UK was disappointed, shocked by and deeply deplored the actions that were carried out in violation of international law and had no legal grounds.

Smith said they believed there were no instances of threats to Russian-speaking people in Crimea.

According to him, the decision on the referendum was taken unlawfully.

The ambassador expressed the view that these events were based on absolute lawlessness and would only lead to further destabilization of the situation.

He stressed that these issue should be presently discussed at the diplomatic level in order to reach the solution.