MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. The UK, the US, Ukraine and Estonia ignored the UN Security Council meeting on situation in Crimea, which took place on May 21, Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations announced on its website.
The meeting took place in accordance with the so-called Arria Formula, which makes it possible to invite representatives of non-governmental organizations to the meetings. The Mission reminded that Russia did not ignore the similar meeting on Crimea, organized by a number of the Western powers and Ukraine on March 6.
"We regret that our Ukrainian colleagues did not find it in themselves to take part in our ‘Arria Formula’ on May 21, although we did not evade the March 6 meeting. We were not only ready, but willing to provide them a tribune and a venue for dialogue with people living in Crimea. Our meeting was not favored by the presence of representatives of the UK, the US and Estonia, as well. By doing so, they have not only violated the traditional Security Council practice of such meetings, but also demonstrated their neglect towards the people of Crimea, whose destiny they allegedly care about," the Permanent Mission said in its statement.
During the May 21 meeting, representatives of the Crimean public noted that the Crimeans’ decision to join Russia was voluntary, and that the March 11, 2014, referendum did not contradict the Ukrainian Constitution. The attendees noted that, since the reunion, the situation with human rights on the peninsula has improved significantly."
Although Ukraine is not a member of the UN Security Council, the three other nations that ignored the meetings, are. In response to their demarche, Russia refrained from participation in a similar informal meeting, organized by Estonia, which took place on May 22.