Gorbachev: "Crimea's referendum corrected Soviet-era mistake"

[reformist2]

The people of Crimea fixed a Soviet-era mistake with the Sunday’s referendum and the will of the people should not be punished by sanctions, said former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

“Earlier Crimea was merged with Ukraine under Soviet laws, to be more exact by the [Communist] party's laws, without asking the people, and now the people have decided to correct that mistake. This should be welcomed instead of declaring sanctions," he told Interfax on Monday.

Gorbachev praised the referendum, stating that it “reflects the aspirations of Crimea's residents."

He criticized the use of sanctions against Russia in retaliation to the referendum. "To declare sanctions you need very serious reasons. And they must be upheld by the UN," Gorbachev added. "The will of the people of the Crimea and the Crimea's possible unification with Russia as a constituent region do not constitute such a reason.”

http://rt.com/news/mistake-fixed-crimea-gorbachev-422/

[Blue_Adept]

1. Probably makes me a Putin apologist

But I rather agree with the larger picture of what Gorbachev said.

Putin and Ukraine did not go about this well in the slightest though.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Gorbachev = Stalin

In fact, anyone who even *reads* this OP is a Putin lover.

Regards,

TWM

[reformist2]

3. I'm surprised people haven't OMG'ed that I linked to RT!

[Anansi1171]

4. Eastern Ukraine too?-nt

Et tu, comrade?

[reformist2]

5. I think that's open to debate, whether Russia or Ukraine should control those regions.

I think the main thing I wish people would consider is how arbitrary so many of these countries' borders are in Eastern Europe - to talk about "territorial integrity" of nations in that region of the world implies a sense of national identity and history about the current borders that simply isn't there.

[dembotoz]

6. some history backs this claim up-the truth seem murkier than either side would like to portray

sometime borders do not reflect the ethnic groups that live within them.

we saw it in iraq were some british mapmaker - what a hundred years ago- decided to put bunches of people who hate each other in the same "country" because the borders worked out better in his head.

in this county, some similar things happened--Louisiana Purchase--one day you are part of one country-next day your not.

wonder is anyone asked the native americans-guess they did not count then....

[tarheelsunc]

7. Wondering why it took more than 22 years after Ukrainian independence for this to be an issue. eom

[moondust]

8. Why did Khruschev give Crimea away?

To impress his homies in Ukraine? Easier to administer locally from Kiev? Did it even matter at that time since Ukraine was a Soviet Republic ultimately controlled by Moscow?

Why wasn't this "mistake" corrected in 1991 when Ukraine became independent? Why did Russia sign treaties with Ukraine over continued use of Sevastopol and military facilities in Crimea? Doesn't that Russian signature constitute the unambiguous recognition that Crimea is Ukrainian territory?

Will Chechnya get a referendum to elicit the aspirations of Chechnya's residents, Mr. Gorbachev?