CASES  AND  DOCTRINES  IN  PUBLIC  INTERNATIONAL  LAW  WEL  NICHOLE  CAALIM  VERDER  ©  

 

  1    SAN  BEDA  COLLEGE  OF  LAW  2014  

 

   

THE  CRISIS  IN  CRIMEA    

Ukrainian  President  Viktor  Yanukovych's  decision  last  November  to  pull  out  of  an  association  deal  with  the  EU  sparked  huge  street  protests  that  eventually  led  to  his  

downfall.    

Pro-­‐Russian  forces  have  since  taken  over  the  Crimea  region,  and  relations  between  the  West  and  Russia  have  soured  dramatically.  

 WHAT  REALLY  HAPPENED?       The  Crimean  crisis  is  an  ongoing  international  crisis  involving  Russia  and  Ukraine.  Most  developments  apply  to  the  Crimean  peninsula,  a  multiethnic  region  of  Ukraine   comprising   the   Autonomous   Republic   of   Crimea   and   the   administratively  separate   municipality   of   Sevastopol;   both   are   populated   by   an   ethnic   Russian  majority   and   a   large   minority   of   ethnic   Ukrainians   and   Crimean   Tatars.   The  demographics  of  Crimea  have  undergone  dramatic  changes  in  the  past  centuries.    

The   crisis   unfolded   in   late   February   2014   in   the   aftermath   of   the  Ukrainian   revolution,  when—after  months  of  protests  by  Euromaidan  and  days  of  violent  clashes  between  protesters  and  police  in  the  Ukrainian  capital  of  Kiev—the  Ukrainian   parliament   held   a   vote   to   impeach   the   President   of   Ukraine,   Viktor  Yanukovych.  However  the  vote  failed  to  reach  the  three-­‐fourths  majority  required  to  impeach   a   President   according   to   the   Constitution   of   Ukraine.   Russian   President  Vladimir   Putin   said   President   Yanukovych   was   illegally   impeached   and   that   he  regards   him   as   Ukraine’s   legitimate   president.   This   was   followed   by   the   interim  appointment   of   the   Yatsenyuk   Government   as   well   as   the   appointment   of   a   new  Acting   President   of   Ukraine,   Oleksandr   Turchynov,   were   seen   by   Russia   as   "self-­‐proclaimed"  in  a  "coup  d'etat".  

 Beginning  on  February  26,  unmarked  men  claimed  by  Russia   to  be   local  

self-­‐defense   forces   but   suspected   to   be   Russian   forces   without   insignia   gradually  took  control  of  the  Crimean  peninsula.  The  Crimean  parliament  voted  to  dismiss  the  Crimean   government,   replace   its   Prime   Minister   and   to   call   a   referendum   on  Crimea's  autonomy.  Several  days   later,  on  March  11,   after  disagreements  between  Crimea,   Sevastopol,   and   the   newly   appointed   interim   government   in   Ukraine,   the  Crimean  parliament  and  the  city  council  of  Sevastopol  adopted  a  resolution  to  show  their   intention   to   unilaterally   declare   themselves   independent   as   a   single   united  nation  with   the  possibility  of   joining   the  Russian  Federation  as  a   federal  subject—should  voters  approve  to  do  so  in  an  upcoming  referendum.  

 On  March  16,  officials  said  that  some  95.5%  of  voters  in  Crimea  supported  

joining  Russia.  Election  officials  said  the  turnout  was  a  record  high,  although  many  Tatars  and  opponents  of  the  referendum  were  reported  to  have  boycotted  the  vote.  On   March   17,   the   Crimean   parliament   officially   declared   its   independence   from  Ukraine  and  requested  to  join  the  Russian  Federation.  

 The   Ukrainian   parliament   has   claimed   that   the   referendum   is  

unconstitutional.   Russia   declared   that   its   troops   would   stay   until   the   political  situation  has  been  normalized  while  recognizing  the  recently  appointed  government  of   Crimea   and   mayor   of   Sevastopol,   as   well   as   the   referendum   and   its   possible  outcome.  The  United  States  and  the  European  Union  said  they  consider  the  vote  to  be  illegal,  and  warned  that  there  may  be  repercussions  for  the  Crimean  ballot.    WHAT  INTERNATIONAL  LEGAL  OPTIONS  ARE  AVAILABLE  TO  CHALLENGE  THE  VOTE  AND  RUSSIA'S  MOVES  IN  CRIMEA?    

The  international  community  has  limited  options  to  overturn  the  vote.  On  Saturday,  Russia  vetoed  a  [UN]  Security  Council  resolution  that  would  have  declared  the   Crimea   referendum   invalid.   The   U.S.   and   other   governments   could   seek   a  resolution  of  the  UN  General  Assembly  condemning  the  referendum,  but  this  would  not  have  any  binding  effect.    

The  General  Assembly  could  also  ask  the  International  Court  of  Justice  to  render  an  "advisory  opinion"  that  the  referendum  was  illegal.  After  Kosovo  declared  independence  from  Serbia   in  2008,   the  General  Assembly,  at   the  request  of  Serbia,  asked   the   ICJ   for   an   advisory   opinion   regarding   Kosovo's   declaration   of  independence.   In   that   case,   the   ICJ   concluded   that   Kosovo's   declaration   was   not  illegal.  However,  the  Crimea  situation  is  significantly  different  from  Kosovo,  and  the  ICJ   might   reach   a   different   conclusion,   especially   if   the   question   were   framed  differently.    WHAT,   IF   ANY,   PRECEDENT   WILL   THIS   VOTE   SET   FOR   OTHER   RESTIVE  REGIONS  IN  RUSSIA  AND  BEYOND?    

If  Crimea  actually  secedes  and  agrees  to  be  annexed  by  Russia,  this  could  embolden  other  secessionist  movements  in  Eastern  Europe  and  elsewhere.    

When   the  United  States  and  other  European  governments  supported   the  independence   of   Kosovo,   they  were   aware   that   it   could   set   a   precedent   for   other  secessions,  despite  their  arguments  that  Kosovo  was  a  unique  situation.  (This  is  why  some   European   governments   with   separatist   movements   -­‐-­‐   such   as   Spain   and  Turkey   -­‐-­‐   did   not   support   secession   by   Kosovo.)   Two   regions   of   Georgia   -­‐-­‐   South  Ossetia   and   Abkhazia   -­‐-­‐   had   previously   declared   themselves   independent   from  Georgia,  and  in  2008  Russia  recognized  them  as  separate  states.  In  2006,  the  region  of  Transdnistria  held  a  referendum  and  declared  itself  independent  from  Moldova.    

Just   as   the   United   States   recognized   the   possible   precedent   set   by  Kosovo's   secession,   Russia   may   find   that   its   support   for   Crimea's   independence  might   trigger   referenda   or   secession   movements   that   it   opposes,   such   as   in  Chechnya.  

 

CASES  AND  DOCTRINES  IN  PUBLIC  INTERNATIONAL  LAW  WEL  NICHOLE  CAALIM  VERDER  ©  

 

  2    SAN  BEDA  COLLEGE  OF  LAW  2014  

     

UKRAINE  CRISIS:  EU  AND  US  IMPOSE  SANCTIONS  OVER  CRIMEA       The   EU   and   US   have   announced   travel   bans   and   asset   freezes   against   a  number  of  officials  from  Russia  and  Ukraine.    

The  moves   follow   Sunday's   referendum   in   Crimea,   in  which   officials   say  97%  of  voters  backed  breaking  away  from  Ukraine  and  joining  Russia.    

The  individuals  targeted  by  the  sanctions  are  seen  as  having  played  a  key  role  in  the  referendum,  which  Kiev,  the  US  and  EU  deem  illegal.  Pro-­‐Russian  forces  have  been  in  control  of  Crimea  since  late  February.    Moscow  says  the  troops  are  pro-­‐Russian  self-­‐defense  forces  and  not  under  its  direct  control.   The   crisis   follows   the   ousting   on   22   February   of   Ukraine's   pro-­‐Moscow  president   Viktor   Yanukovych,   who   had   sparked   months   of   street   protests   by  rejecting  a  planned  EU  trade  deal  in  favour  of  closer  ties  with  Moscow.    'MOCKERY'    

US   President   Barack  Obama   said   in   a   press   conference   that  Washington  stood   "ready   to   impose   further   sanctions"  depending  on  whether  Russia  escalated  or  de-­‐escalated  the  situation  in  Ukraine.    

If  Moscow  continued  to  intervene  in  Ukraine,  he  warned,  it  would  "achieve  nothing  except  to  further  isolate  Russia  and  diminish  its  place  in  the  world".    

The   EU   published   a   list   of   sanctions   against   21   Russian   and   Ukrainian  officials  after  a  meeting  of  foreign  ministers  in  Brussels.  The  list  includes  the  acting  prime  minister  of  Crimea,  the  speaker  of  Crimea's  parliament,  three  senior  Russian  commanders  and  several  senior  Russian  parliamentary  officials.    

"We   regret   that   Russia   has   so   far   not   engaged   in   negotiations   with  Ukraine,"  EU  foreign  policy  chief  Catherine  Ashton  said   in  a  press  conference  after  the  sanctions  were  announced.  UK  Foreign  Secretary  William  Hague  told  reporters  the  list  was  not  "set  in  stone".    

He  said  this  depends  on  "how  Russia  reacts  to  the  referendum  in  Crimea  which  has  been  a  mockery  of  any  real  democracy,  and  how  they  are  reacting  to  the  possibility   of   discussions   and   direct   negotiations   with   Ukraine   over   the   coming  days".    

The   US   said   it   had   targeted   seven   top   Russian   government   officials   and  lawmakers   and   four   Crimea-­‐based   separatist   leaders   with   financial   sanctions   for  undermining  "democratic  processes  and  institutions  in  Ukraine".    

The   US   list   included   Dmitry   Rogozin,   a   Russian   deputy   prime   minister,  Valentina  Matviyenko,  head  of   the  upper  house  of   the  Russian  parliament  and   the  ousted  Ukrainian  leader,  Viktor  Yanukovych.    

"Today's   actions   send   a   strong  message   to   the  Russian   government   that  there  are  consequences  for  their  actions  that  violate  the  sovereignty  and  territorial  integrity   of   Ukraine,   including   their   actions   supporting   the   illegal   referendum   for  Crimean  separation,''  the  White  House  said  in  a  statement.    

The   EU   has   also   shown   its   support   for   Ukraine   by   announcing   it   will  temporarily  remove  customs  duties  on  Ukrainian  exports  to  the  EU.  Ukraine's  acting  President  Oleksander  Turchinov  said  Kiev  was   ready   for  negotiations  with  Russia,  but  it  would  never  accept  the  annexation  of  Crimea.    

In   a   televised   address,  Mr  Turchinov   said   that   any   actions   inciting  mass  disorder  would  be   viewed  as   "abetting   the  military   aggressor   and   a   crime   against  the  state".    

The   Kiev   authorities   earlier   said   they   had   recalled   their   ambassador   to  Moscow  for  consultation.    

Ukrainian   Foreign   Minister   Andriy   Deshchytsya   has   welcomed   the   EU's  decision  to  impose  sanctions.    

He  told  the  BBC:  "I  think  it's  a  step  forward  in  mobilising  the  international  community  and  confronting  the  Russian  decision  to  violate  international  order  and  international  laws.  Crimea  is  an  integral  part  of  Ukraine."    

Russian   Deputy   Prime   Minister   Dmitry   Rogozin,   who   is   on   the   US  sanctions  list,  says  the  measures  will  not  affect  those  who  do  not  have  assets  abroad,  Reuters  reports    

"Comrade   Obama,   and   what   will   you   do   with   those   who   have   neither  accounts  nor  property  abroad?  Or  didn't   you   think  of   that?"  Mr  Rogozin  wrote  on  Twitter.    'CONTACT  GROUP'    

Monday's   sanctions   came   hours   after   Crimea's   parliament   declared   the  region  an  independent  state,  following  Sunday's  referendum.    

According  to  the  parliamentary  vote,  Ukrainian  laws  now  no  longer  apply  in  the  region,  and  all  Ukrainian  state  property  belongs  to  an  independent  Crimea.    

The  peninsula  will  adopt  the  Russian  currency,  the  rouble,  and  clocks  will  move  two  hours  forward  to  Moscow  time  by  the  end  of  March.  

CASES  AND  DOCTRINES  IN  PUBLIC  INTERNATIONAL  LAW  WEL  NICHOLE  CAALIM  VERDER  ©  

 

  3    SAN  BEDA  COLLEGE  OF  LAW  2014  

 

   

The   document   approved   by   MPs   also   appealed   to   "all   countries   of   the  world"  to  recognise  Crimean  independence.    

The   government   in   Kiev   has   said   it  will   not   recognise   the   results   of   the  referendum.    

Russia  earlier  proposed  the  formation  of  an  international  "contact  group"  to   mediate   in   the   crisis   and   seek   changes   in   the   constitution   that   would   require  Ukraine  to  uphold  military  and  political  neutrality.    

But   the   authorities   in   Kiev   have   dismissed   the   proposal   as   "absolutely  unacceptable",   Ukrainian   foreign   ministry   spokesman   Yevhen   Perebynis   told  Interfax  Ukraine  news  agency.    

Meanwhile,   the   parliament   in   Kiev   has   formally   approved   the   partial  mobilisation  of   40,000   reservists   and   says   it   is  monitoring   the   situation   along   the  eastern  border  with  Russia.      

That in all things, God may be glorified!