EU Leaders Not Discussing New Crimea Referendum - Austrian FM

A European diplomatic source told Sputnik Friday that the European Union would look into the results of a new referendum on Crimea's reunification with Russia, if it met all international standards and involved representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

VIENNA (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — The European Union is not discussing the possibility of holding a new Crimean referendum complying with the intentional standards, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told Sputnik Sunday.

"At the moment there is no discussion about the new referendum," Kurz said.

"I'm a young politician who is always in favor of direct democracy, I don't have problems with a direct referendum. I have problems if there are no right conditions and circumstances for a referendum," the minister added.

In March 2014, 96 percent of Crimean residents voted for reuniting with Russia.

The Western countries, including the EU members and the United States have not recognized the legitimacy of the vote, imposing several rounds of sanctions on Russia over what they consider an "annexation."

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that the residents of Crimea had voted in favor of reunification with Russia through democratic means, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter.