KIEV (RFE/RL)—Ukraine’s interim government on Thursday refrained from publicly criticizing official Yerevan for accepting the outcome of a disputed referendum in its autonomous republic of Crimea that led to its incorporation into Russia.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Armenia, Ivan Kukhta, said President Serzh Sarkisian’s statement on the issue made on Wednesday has been officially communicated to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. He pointedly declined to comment on the statement, saying that every nation is free to adopt a position on a particular issue.
Moreover, Kukhta seemed to downplay the moves’ damage to his country’s ties with Armenia. “In my view, even now there are prospects for improving those relations further,” he told a news conference.
U.S. Disappointed With Armenia’s Crimea Stance
John Heffern, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, on Thursday voiced Washington’s disappointment with the Armenian government’s decision to effectively recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea strongly condemned by the West.
Heffern described as “very unfortunate” President Serzh Sarkisian’s statement to that effect made during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The envoy reiterated the official U.S. line that the weekend referendum in which residents of Crimea voted for becoming part of Russia was illegal. “There are many things [the Russians] could have done short of what they did,” he said at an international conference on regional security held in Yerevan.
Sarkisian was quoted by his press office as telling Putin that the vote engineered by Moscow was “yet another example of the realization of peoples’ right to self-determination.” Official Yerevan had until then avoided taking sides in the broader crisis in Ukraine that has brought about Russia’s most serious standoff with the West since the end of the Cold War.
It is a good time, for Russia to recognize Artsakh independence!
I don’t care what USA thinks! You scratch my back, I scratch your back! Deal with it…
Armenians have been disappointed in the U.S. for decades!
Ukrainian leaders are very friendly toward us Armenians. Even if the president of Armenia recognized Crimea as independant, they choose to maintain their friendship with us. Don’t worry Ukraine, a time will come we will support you. That time will come when Armenia becomes truly independent and won’t be the slave of Russia.
Mr. Ambassador John heffern you must have a very short memory problem.did you forgot
Yugoslavia as a one big country now is Serbia Bosnia Macedonia Croatia Montenegro did you
forgot US air force bomb the capitol Belgrade for forty days night and day did you forgot we destroy all the city did you forgot Malvines or Falkland islands war did you forgot we kill over 300000 Iraqis for Oil
did you forgot we are in Afghanistan are you forgetting Israel actually is Palestine how but
invasion of the Turks to Cyprus are we number one double stander hypocrite country in the world
history ?
well done…
The only thing Sargsyan’s policy is a “manifestation” of is idiotic and inept decision-making. Armenians, stop taking on the burdens of other countries and think for your own interests FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE.
I’m still in shock– literally one of the few times Armenia breaks its silence, and it just had to be this time? To shoot itself in the foot? To give Azeris more ammunition to use against us in foreign countries? Unbelievable.
We garnered unnecessary negative attention….idiots
No, we need to keep shooting ourselves into the foot until we get that amputated as well.
What the Armenian leadership did with this statement is the equivalent of watching two cars merge onto one another, then having a third car that’s further away from any trouble speeding straight into the collision and making it a three car pileup. I’m amazed by the stupidity of the Armenian government and the equally dense Kremlin stooges cheering on the fact that we’re giving the Azeris open ammunition to use against us and turning friends into enemies FOR RUSSIA’S SAKE.
John Heffern, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia should understand that Armenians can’t live on crumbs any more, Armenians need real action to distance themselves from Russia and tilt towards West, they need the US to recognize the Genocide and oblige Turkey for big time reparation for Armenian people. NO MORE B SHT.
Mr Heffern’s comments are yet another clear example of US officials’ meddling in another country’s affaires, trying to impose falsehood and double standards.
Yeah, like Russia never does that…
It is very comforting to to know we have a strong,decisive,and forthright president like sagsian in government. Armenia’s government recognition of the Crimean referendum could not have come sooner. The entire Ukraine will revert back and unite with Russia. The putchists in Kiev, will not last long. The Ukranian army , which is integrated with the Russian armed forces will eventually march on Kiev and mop up, round up the gang of putchits and put them where they belong, out of the streets and in jail. Only political gamblers could have possibly have envisioned a Ukraine without Russia and vice eras. Only warmongers and dim witted politicos like macaine and the Kagan nuland gang in alliance with the professional revolutionaries could have imagined they could have stolen the Ukraine and amputate it from Russia. Their gamble has failed, as it was expected. As for Armenia we have to be thankful we are in a strategic alliance with a world power.
If America wants to help Armenia let them return 80%of lands confiscated my Turks …
Let them prove they are honest …
Let them recognize Armenian genocide
Let them return “Wilsonian Map” to Armenia..
There are 2 Million Armenians Turkified not Islamatised only …can’t open their mouth…!!!
They are so close to Turkey use them to destroy their neighbors…!!!
Turks are invading Kassab (Syria) to kill more Armenians …!!!
Mr. John Heffern comments is unnecessary.The Armenians always believed on Peoples right to self determination.Why they have to change now,?