Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan says it won’t recognise referendums in eastern Ukraine

cde.news desk 26 September 2022, 08:45 · 2 min read

epa10203644 A group of people walks behind a fence with a placard reading 'The referendum on joining the Russian Federation' as they leave a polling station at the embassy of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in Moscow, Russia, 24 September 2022. From 23 to 27 September, residents of the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics as well as the Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine vote in a referendum to join the Russian Federation. On 24 February 2022 Russian troops entered the Ukrainian territory in what the Russian president declared a 'Special Military Operation', starting an armed conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis. EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

ALMATY, Sept 26 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan, one of Russia’s close ex-Soviet partners, will not recognise the possible annexation of Ukraine’s eastern regions by Russia through referendums held there, the Central Asian nation’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

Voting took place in four Ukrainian regions mostly held by Russian forces, the start of a plan by President Vladimir Putin to annex a big chunk of Ukraine in what the West says is violation of international law that significantly escalates war in the country. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine “a special military operation”.

“As for the holding of referendums … Kazakhstan proceeds from the principles of territorial integrity of states, their sovereign equivalence and peaceful coexistence,” ministry spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov said.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly called for the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict in line with the United Nations charter.

“We reconfirm our readiness to provide all possible assistance to the establishment of a political dialogue,” Smadiyarov said. “At the same time, our country believes that maintaining stability at either regional or global level is the most important goal.”

Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell