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Upper house speaker slams UN resolution on Crimea as politically biased

The UN General Assembly earlier passed the Ukraine-backed motion, which condemned alleged human rights violations in Crimea
A view of Yalta on the Crimean Black Sea coast  Sergei Malgavko/TASS
A view of Yalta on the Crimean Black Sea coast
© Sergei Malgavko/TASS

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Speaker of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Valentina Matviyenko, called the UN General Assembly (GA) resolution on Crimea, which condemns the alleged human rights violations on the peninsula, a politically motivated document.

"Everyone understands that it was such a politically biased resolution pushed forward by Ukraine, the country, which is wallowing in agony. No facts, no examples - nothing is out there," the Federation Council Speaker said on Friday in a live broadcast on the Russia-24 news channel.

Matviyenko further argued that the claims of human rights violations come not from Crimea, but from Ukraine. The region however was in total mayhem when it was part of Ukraine, she pointed out. The politician cited as yet another example of human rights abuse in Ukraine the country’s law on education, which discriminates against the rights of national minorities, and violates international conventions.

According to the lawmaker, it is the West who really infringe the rights of Crimeans. "They ignore the will of the overwhelming majority of the peninsula’s residents, restrict their entry to Europe, do not issue visas, impose a blockade on them and introduce sanctions. This is who really violates the rights of the residents of Crimea," the legislator stressed.

She also pointed out that the resolution was adopted not by the majority of countries. "The majority either abstained or were against [the document]. All sober-minded people understand only too well what this resolution is aimed at. This is yet another attempt to support the failing regime in Ukraine, another attempt by the West to justify itself for the destruction of Ukraine and for the illegal overthrow of its (the country’s) legitimate power," Matviyenko said.

The UN General Assembly earlier passed the Ukraine-backed motion, which condemned alleged human rights violations in Crimea and Russia’s supposed "illegal" introduction of its "laws, jurisdiction and administration" on the peninsula.