Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry comments on referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk
Two self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (the international community, including Kazakhstan, doesn’t recognize either), as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, have reported so-called referendums about joining Russia. According to Aibek Smadiyarov, official spokesperson of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country continues to stand for the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.
«Our president often spoke about the topic, including the speeches in the U.N. He always highlighted the importance of compliance with the international law which is the Charter of the United Nations. The charter says that all member states of the U.N. must be active supporters of peace and territorial integrity of all states,» he said.
The official also noted that Kazakhstan is ready to do its best to facilitate the political dialog.
«From our point of view the most important task is to keep the stability both on the global and regional levels,» he added.
On September 23, the so-called referendums on joining Russia started in four regions of Ukraine. They are expected to finish on September 27.
According to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan doesn’t recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics as independent states. He made this statement at the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum while responding to the direct question by Margarita Simonyan, the host of the event.
«I am going to say it honestly. We have a very open society in Kazakhstan, where we have a mature civil society. People have different opinions and this is their right. But I believe that we should all respect the international law – the Charter of the U.N., even though two principles of the charter the principle of territorial integrity and the right to self-determination contradict each other,» he said.
So far, Syria is the only state that has officially recognized Donetsk and Luhansk republics.
