Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said contemplated sanctions targeting Russia in retaliation for the Crimean referendum have no legal grounds. "If sanctions are to be declared very serious reasons must be present. And they must be upheld by the UN," Gorbachev told Interfax on March 17.
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said contemplated sanctions
targeting Russia in retaliation for the Crimean referendum have no
legal grounds.
“If sanctions are to be declared very serious reasons must be
present. And they must be upheld by the UN,” Gorbachev told Interfax on
March 17.
“The choice of the people of the Crimea and the Crimea’s possible
unification with Russia as a constituent region do not constitute such a
reason,” he said.
Gorbachev welcomed the referendum, “whose outcome reflects the aspirations of Crimea’s residents.”
“Whereas previously the Crimea was joined to Ukraine by Soviet laws,
to be more exact by the Communist party’s laws, which disregarded the
opinion of the people, now the people have made up their mind to correct
the mistake. This should be welcomed instead of declaring sanctions,”
he said.
