This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/world/europe/crimea-vote-does-not-offer-choice-of-status-quo.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Crimea Vote Does Not Offer Choice of Status Quo | Crimea Vote Does Not Offer Choice of Status Quo |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Crimea will vote on Sunday in a ballot referendum that leaders of the regional Parliament expect will ratify their decision to break away from Ukraine and become part of Russia. The referendum will offer two choices, neither one of them “No”: | Crimea will vote on Sunday in a ballot referendum that leaders of the regional Parliament expect will ratify their decision to break away from Ukraine and become part of Russia. The referendum will offer two choices, neither one of them “No”: |
| 1) “Are you in favor of the reunification of Crimea with Russia as a part of the Russian Federation?” | 1) “Are you in favor of the reunification of Crimea with Russia as a part of the Russian Federation?” |
| 2) “Are you in favor of restoring the 1992 Constitution and the status of Crimea as a part of Ukraine?” | 2) “Are you in favor of restoring the 1992 Constitution and the status of Crimea as a part of Ukraine?” |
| Voters will have to mark one option affirmatively, but they cannot vote for the status quo. | Voters will have to mark one option affirmatively, but they cannot vote for the status quo. |
| A return to the 1992 Constitution — adopted after the Soviet collapse but quickly thrown out by the post-Soviet Ukraine — would effectively provide for Crimea’s independence, while remaining part of Ukraine. The Crimean government would have broad powers to chart its own course, including its relations with other nations such as Russia. | A return to the 1992 Constitution — adopted after the Soviet collapse but quickly thrown out by the post-Soviet Ukraine — would effectively provide for Crimea’s independence, while remaining part of Ukraine. The Crimean government would have broad powers to chart its own course, including its relations with other nations such as Russia. |
| Retaining Crimea’s current status, which provides for more limited autonomy from the central government in Kiev, is not an option, which may help explain why the Crimean Tatars have refused to take part in the voting. No matter what voters choose, the regional Parliament seems intent on changing its relationship with Kiev. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s new leadership and its Western allies insist that the referendum is illegal. | |
| The city of Stavropol, which has a special administrative status, will hold a simultaneous referendum offering the same choices. | The city of Stavropol, which has a special administrative status, will hold a simultaneous referendum offering the same choices. |