28/03/2014 17:36
Russia calls UN resolution on Crimea referendum 'counterproductive'
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed a UN resolution declaring Crimea's referendum invalid as "counterproductive" and called on the international community to help stabilize the situation in crisis-hit Ukraine, RIA Novosti reported.
On Thursday, the 193-nation UN General Assembly passed the non-binding resolution with 100 votes in favor, 58 abstentions, and 11 against, including Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe in addition to Russia.
"The counterproductive initiative of the General Assembly's resolution only complicates efforts to stabilize the domestic political crisis in Ukraine," the ministry said, calling on officials to respect the results of the Crimean vote.
The ministry added Ukraine's attempts to misrepresent the crisis are aimed at distracting international attention away from the escalation of domestic tensions, seeking instead to shift blame onto Russia for the country's internal problems.