Even as US wants New Delhi to condemn Crimea’s annexation
A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain the issue regarding Crimea and the western sanctions against Russia, India on Wednesday opposed such steps saying it will not support any “unilateral measures” against Russia. However, White House indicated that the US wants India to condemn the Russian military action in Crimea, and said Russian President Vladimir Putin was on the “wrong side of history”.
“India has never supported unilateral sanctions against any country. Therefore, we will also not support any unilateral measures by a country or a group of countries,” sources in the Indian Government said here.
Though no official stance has been revealed on the issue, sources maintained India will do a balancing act. India has stated its position to not support unilateral sanctions by any country unless authorised by the UN. Although, New Delhi does not favour referendums for breaking up a country, India recognises the “legitimate” interests of Russia in Ukraine, sources pointed out.
The remarks came a day after Putin explained the situation to Singh, who underlined India’s position on “unity and territorial integrity” of countries and hoped a diplomatic solution would be found to the issue.
As the Obama Administration intensified its global effort to garner support for Ukraine, the White House said it is looking at the international community, including India, to condemn Russia’s action.
“We have been consulting closely with our partners and allies in Europe and the G7 on Ukraine but also with other nations around the world. I don’t have any specific conversations to read out for you with India, but obviously we are looking to the entire international community to condemn Russia’s action and to support Ukraine,” laura lucas Magnuson, spokesperson of the National Security Council, told PTI.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said, “What I can say without question is that this action, the results of the referendum, and the attempt to annex a region of Ukraine illegally will never be recognised by the United States or the international community.”
Earlier this month while reacting to situation developing in Ukraine, National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon had said, “There are legitimate Russian and other interests involved and we hope they are discussed and resolved.”
The US and the EU have imposed sanctions on several officials from Russia and Ukraine accused of involvement in Moscow’s actions in the Black Sea peninsula. Australia has also announced its decision to impose financial and travel sanctions on a dozen political figures from the region.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the referendum in Crimea could not form any legitimate basis to separate it from the rest of Ukraine. “International law does not allow one state to steal the territory of another on the basis of a referendum that cannot be considered free or fair,” she said.
Putin signed the treaty on Tuesday with the Russian-backed leaders of Crimea, pressing ahead with an annexation that Washington and Ukraine’s new government say is illegal and unacceptable.